TESTIMONY 


OF 

LOUIS J. WEICHMANN. 


Given on Examination in Chief in 
THE Trial of John H. Surratt, In¬ 
dicted FOR the Murder of Abra¬ 
ham Lincoln, in the Criminal Court 
OF THE District of Columbia, 1867. 





■ THE Reporting Style of Phonography, by Benn Pitman 
AND Jerome B. Howard. 


1 


CINCINNATI: 

THE PHONOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE COMPANY. 











TESTIMONY 

OF 

LOUIS J. WEICHMANN. 

u 


Given on Examination in Chief in 
THE Trial of John 11 . Surratt, In¬ 
dicted FOR THE Murder of Abra¬ 
ham Lincoln, in the Criminal Court 
OF THE District of Columbia, 1867. 





In the Reporting Style of Phonography, by Benn Pitman 

AND Jerome B. Howard. 





CINCINNATI: 

THE PHONOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE COMPANY. 


1910. 









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TESTIMONY OF LOUIS J. WEICHMANN. 


Given on Examination in Chief in the Trial of 
John H. Surratt. 


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CRIMINAL COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
HON. GEORGE FISHER, PRESIDING. 


THE PEOPLE ) 

versus ( 

JOHN H. SURRATT. ) 


NO. 2347. 


Appearances for the United States: 

District Attorney E. C. Carrington, 

Assistant District Attorney N. Wilson. 
Associate Counsel: 

Edward Pierrepont, 

A. G. Riddle. 

For the prisoner: 

Joseph H. Bradley^ 

R. T. Merrick, 

Joseph H. Bradley, Jr. 

Thursday, June 27, 1867. The court met at ten o'clock. 


LOUIS J. WEICHMAN sworn and examined. 

By MR. PIERREPONT: 

Q. State your full name. A. My name is Louis J. Weichman. Before 
the trial of the assassins I spelled my name Wie. I gave it distinctly 
to the reporters, as I thought, but they spelled it Wei, and since that 
I have spelled it that way. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: It is not of the slightest consequence whether the i 
gets before the e or after. 

Q. Where do you reside? A. I reside at Philadelphia now. 

Q. Do you know the prisoner at the bar? A. I do very well. 

Q. State to the jury the first time you ever saw him. A. I first 
met John Harrison Surratt, the prisoner at the bar, at St. Mary's Col¬ 
lege, near Ellicott's Mills, Howard county, Maryland, in September, 1859. 

47 


48 


Q. I will pass over the intermediate time and come down to 1863. 

Where were you then living? A, In the latter part of 1862 I accepted a 
position as teacher in St. Matthew's Institute, on Nineteenth street, be 
tween G and H. 

Q. How long did you continue as teacher in that institute? A. I 
taught in that institute for over a year--a year and ten days. 

Q. Did you see Surratt in that year--1863? A. In the month of Jan¬ 
uary, 1863, I for the first time met Surratt since we left"col lege. 

Q. Where did you meet him? A. I met him at St. Matthew's Institute 
where he paid me a visit. 

Q. Did he visit you there more than once? A. He visited me there 
frequently during the years 1863-64, 

Q. Did you return his visits? A. I visited hie house at Surratte- 
ville in March 1863, and there made the acquaintance of hie mother, Mrs. 
Mary E. Surratt, and his sister Anna. 

q. Who presented you to Mrs. Surratt? A. Her son John. 

Q. How far was that house from this house? A. About ten miles from 
the Navy Yard bridge. 

q. In what direction from this house? A. I believe it is a south¬ 
easterly direction. 

q. What was the place you visited? A. The place was called Surratts 
vi1le. 

q. Was there a village there or only a tavern? A The place was 
called Surrattevi1le after Surratt's father. It was a house of about 
ten rooms, and a post-office there. 

q. Was it a tavern? A. Yes, sir. There was a sort of a bar attacht 
to the post-office. 

q. They took lodgers--entertained travelers--did they? A. Yes, sir. 

q. Was the father then living? A. No, sir; the father died in 1862, 
I believe. 

q. When did you next visit at Surratt's house? A. I visited there 
two or three times in 1863 and 1864. I wish to state here that during 
my first visit to Mrs. Surratt in 1863, in March, we were aroused one 
night by a very delightful serenade by the Marine band, which had gone 
down from the city here. 

Mr. BRADLEY; That is not evidence. 

WITNESS: I intend to make it evidence. I intended to state that 

there I met David E. Herold. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: You need not state about the Marine band. 

WITNESS: Very well. That band returned in the morning, and David E. 

Herold, who was with the band, was introduced to me by John H. Surratt. 

q. Was he the same Herold who was tried as one of the conspirators? 

A. The same. 

q. At that time, in March, 1863, did you meet another one of the con¬ 
spirators? A. No, sir. 

q. When did you next see John Surratt? A. 0, I saw John Surratt 
very frequently. 

q. Did he call to see you? A. Yes, sir; he visited me from time to 
time in '63 and '64, and was always treated with the greatest kindness. 

q. Will you state when Mrs. Surratt came to the city to live? A. Mrs 

2 



49 


Surratt moved to her house in the city, No. 541 H. street, between Sixth 
and Seventh on the 1st of November, 1864. 

Q. When did you first visit the house after she first moved there on 
the 1st of November, 1864? A. I commenced boarding there the 1st of No 
vember, 1864; or I should say I took lodgings there. I did not take my 
meals there till the let of December. 

ft. Where did you have your washing done? A. I had it done in the 
latter part of my stay at Mrs Surratt's house by a colored woman at Mrs. 
Surratt's house. 

ft. Who was the colored woman? A. Her name was Susan Jackson. She 
did my washing for about four months before I left. 

ft. Where did you have it done before the last four months? A. I do 
not know exactly where the colored woman who did my washing lived, and I 
do not know her name. 

ft. You had it done out of the house? A. Yes, sir; during the months 
of November and December it was done out of the house, and during the 
months of January, February, March, and April it was done in the house. 

ft. What was the name of the last person in the house who did it? A. 
Susan Jackson. 

ft. She was the last one? A. Yes, sir. 

(This examination objected to by Mr. Bradley as having been already 
gone over. Objection sustained by the court as a waste of time.) 

ft. Now will you state, between the time you first went there to board 
. and the assassination of Mr. Lincoln, whether you boarded at any other 
house? A, No, sir. 

ft. Were yeu there on the night of the assassination? A. I was. 
ft. You boarded there all of the time from the 1st of December until 
the assassination? A. Yes, sir. 

ft. Will you tell the jury when and whom you first saw at the house 
connected with this conspiracy, after you went there to board, excepting 
John H, Surratt and Mrs. Surratt, his mother? A. The first one I saw 
at Mrs. Surratt's connected with the conspiracy was John Wilkes Booth, 
ft. Tell the jury when you first saw John Wilkes Booth at the house. 
WITNESS: Do you wish me to state when I first made Booth's acquaint¬ 

ance? 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I wish you to state just now when you first saw him 
at the house. A. I first saw him at the house in the latter part of De¬ 
cember, 1864, or in the early part of January, 1865. 

ft. That is the first time you saw him there? A. Yes, sir. 
ft. Now state where you first made his acquaintance. A. In the win¬ 
ter of 1864-65, I was invited one evening by Surratt to take a walk with 
him down the street. We left the house and walkt toward Seventh street, 
and went down Seventh street. Just as we were opposite Odd Fellows' 

Hall somebody called, "Surratt, Surratt." I said, "John, there is some 
one calling you." He turned, and as he turned, recognized Dr. Samuel 
Mudd, an acquaintance of his, from Charles county, Maryland. He shook 
hands with the doctor and then introduced him to me. Dr. Mudd then in¬ 
troduced his companion, as Booth, to both of us. After the etiquette of 
the second on such occasions. Booth invited both of us to his room at 
the National Hotel. Arriving at the room, Booth requested us to be seat- 

3 




50 


ed, rang the bell, and had the servant bring drinks and cigars to the 
room for the four gentlemen assembled, I made some remark about the ap¬ 
pearance of the room; Booth said yes; it was a room that had been occu¬ 
pied by a member of Congress. 

Q. Do you know the number? A. The number of the room at that inter¬ 
view was 84. Booth took down some congressional documents from the sec¬ 
retary, and remarkt what a nice read he would have to himself when left 
alone, 

Q, Was Dr. Mudd still there? A. Yes, sir. After a little conversa¬ 
tion Dr. Mudd rose, went out into the entry that led by the room, and 

called out Booth. .They did not take their hats with them; they did not 
go down stairs, because if they had done so I should have heard the 
noise of their footsteps. After five or six minutes they returned to 
the room and John Surratt was called out. The three then remained in 
the entry for several minutes and came back again. Dr. Mudd then came 

over to me where I was siting and remarkt: "Weichman," said he, "I hope 

you will excuse the privacy of the conversation; the fact is, Mr. Booth 
has some business with me; he wishes to purchase my farm in the country, 
but he does not want to give me enough." Booth also came to me and made 
an apology to the same effect, saying he did intend to purchase lands in 
the lower part of Maryland, and that he wanted to buy Dr. Mudd's farm, 

I was then seated on a sofa near the window. Booth, Dr. Mudd, and Sur¬ 
ratt then seated themselves round a center-table in the middle of the 
room, about eight feet from me. They then began a private conversation, 
audible merely as to sound. Booth took' out from his pocket an envelop, 
and made marks on the back of it, and Surratt and Mudd were looking in¬ 
tently at him. From the motion of the pencil I concluded that the marks 
were more like roads or straight lines than anything else. After about 
twenty minutes' conversation around the table, they rose, and Dr. Mudd 
then invited us around to the Pennsylvania Hotel, where he was stopping. 
Arriving at the Pennslyvania Hotel, I sat down on a settee and talkt 
with Dr. Mudd. Booth and Surratt seated themselves around the hearth 
and talkt very lively there. Booth showing him letters, and Surratt evin¬ 
cing a great deal of glee. About half past ten Booth got up and bade us 
good night. We left a short time after. Dr. Mudd stating that he was go¬ 
ing to leave town next morning. On going home, John Surratt remarkt 
that that brilliant, accomplisht young gentleman, to whom I had been in¬ 
troduced, was no less than J. Wilkes Booth, the actor. When I first met 
Booth on Seventh street, I did not know that he was an actor at all. I 
had seen him several times on the stage, but I did not know that he was 
J. Wilkes Booth, the actor. I knew when he told me so. He said that 
Booth wanted to purchase Dr. Mudd's farm and that he, Surratt, was to be 
the agent for the purchase of that farm. Some weeks afterwards, when I 
askt Mrs. Surratt what John had to do with Dr. Mudd's farm, and whether 
he had made himself an agent of Booth, she said, "0, Dr. Mudd and the 
people of Charles are getting tired of Booth, and they are pushing him 
off on John." 

Q. Up to the time of this interview, had you met Herold except down 
in the country? A. Yes, sir; I met him the second time at Piscataway 
church, in the summer of 1864. 


4 




51 


Q. Where is Piscataway church? A. In Prince George's county, about 
five miles from Surrattsvilie. 

Q. Who was with you? A. John Surratt. I met Herold there for the 
second time. 

Q. Did anything then occur? A. No, sir; merely a casual meeting at 
the church, nothing more. 

Q. Where did you and John Surratt go after this meeting with Dr. Uudd 
and Booth? A. We went home. 

Q. About what time did you get home? A. We got home in the evening 
about 11 o'clock. 

Q. Did anything further occur that afternoon? A. No, sir. 

Q. We will now come down to 1865. . Did you know of Surratt being in 
any business? A. Yes, sir; in the latter part of December, 1864, and 
the early part of January, 1865, he was employed by Adams Express Com¬ 
pany in this city. 

Q. How long was he there? A. To the best of my knowledge he was 
there about ten days. 

Q. Did he tell you anything about how long? A. I believe he did; 
ten days or two weeks. 

Q. Did he leave? A. Shortly after Booth's introduction to him, he 
was very anxious to get two weeks' leave of absence to go into the coun¬ 
try. There being at that time a great press of business in sending off 
soldiers' boxes, etc., they refused to give him that leave. He told me 
that he took French leave. 

Q. In January, 1865, did you know where he went. A. Well he did 
take French leave, and was away from the house several days. When he re¬ 
turned I askt him where he had been. His answer was, to Port Tobacco. 

Q. Do you know how he went away at that time? A. He told me he went 

on horseback. 

Q. Do you know how he returned? A. I do not know exactly, 
a. Did he say anything to you about having met Mr. Martin, or anybody 
else, at Port Tobacco at that time? A. No, sir. 

Q, Did he speak of meeting any one from New York there? A. No, sir. 

ft. Do you know what horse he rode? A. No, sir. 

ft. Look at the book now shown you, (book exhibited,) and tell the 
jury what book it is. A. This is the register of the Maltby House, Bal¬ 
timore, Maryland. 

ft. Please look under the date of that register of January 21, 1865, 
and state what you find there, A. I find my own name and the name of J. 
Harrison Surratt registered there on the twenty-first of January, 1865, 
as occupying a room No. 127. 

ft. The same room? A. Yes, sir. 

ft. Whose name is first entered? A. My name. 

ft. In whose handwriting is it? A. In my handwriting. 

ft. Whose name is next entered? A. Surratt's. 

ft. Is it in his handwriting? A, It is 

ft. Will you state whether or not those names were actually entered 
on that day by you and Surratt? A. They were, 
ft. Did you occupy room No. 127? A. We did. 


5 






Q, What time in tho day did you reach Baltimore? A. On the evening 
of the 21st of January. It was a Saturday evening, 

Q. At this time did you know Payne? A. No, sir; I had never met him 
ft. Nor Wood, as he was afterwards called? A. No, sir. 
ft. Will you state what occured while you were there? Give it in its 
order of time. First I will ask you if you know, of your own knowledge, 
whether Payne was boarding in Baltimore then. A. No, sir; I do not 
know, of my own knowledge. 

ft. Now proceed to state what occured while you were there. A, On 
the morning of the 22d, Surratt took a carriage and said that he had 
$300 in. his possession, and that he was going to see some gentleman on 
private business, and that he did not want me along. 

ft. State whether from the time you first knew Surratt until this date 
he had been engaged in any business, except during the brief period he 
was at Adams Express office, A. No, sir. 

ft. What did he do when he went out on this private business, as he 

states? A. That I do not know. He took the carriage and rode off. I 

told him I did not care about what gentleman he was going to see; that I 
had business of my own to transa''t. 

ft. How long was he gone? A. He was at the hotel to dinner at three 
0 '-clock, 

ft. You do not know, of your own knowledge, to whose house he went? A 
No, sir. 

ft. Did Surratt name to you then, or at any subsequent time, the name 

of the person who kept the house where he went? A. No, sir. 

ft. When he came back, which you say was at three o'clock, what oc¬ 
curred? A. I returned home that evening; whether he returned with me 
or not, I do not know, but it is my impression that he did not. I think 
I left him at Baltimore. 

ft. You returned that evening? A. Yes, sir. 

ft. At Mrs. Surratt's house, at this time, where was your room in the 
house in relation to Surratt's room? A. Well, Surratt and I were so 
friendly and so intimate with one another that we occupied the same room 
ft. How about the bed? A. We occupied the same bed. 
ft. Did you ever see Atzerodt? A. Yes, sir; I met Atzerodt about 
four weeks after Surratt's first introduction to Booth, and about a week 
or ten days after Surratt returned from the country, in the early part 
of January, 1865. 

ft. From Port Tobacco’ A. Yes, sir. 

ft. How long after he returned from Port Tobacco? A. About a week or 
ten days, in the latter part of January. 

ft. Where did you meet Atzerodt? A. In Mrs. Surratt's parlor; he was 
introduced to me by John Surratt. 

ft. How is that name pronounced? A. I call it Atzero. 
ft. How was it called in the house? A. Surratt called it Atzerodt; 
the young ladies, they did not understand his name, and knowing that he 
came from Port Tobacco, they called him "Port Tobacco." He was a very 
witty sort of a fellow, and I supposed they named him so on purpose, 
ft. Then he was sometimes called Atzerodt? A. He was always called 


6 



53 


"Port Tobacco" in the house, except by Mrs. Surratt when she spoke to 
him personally. 

Q. What time in the day was it you first saw him in Mrs. Surratt's 
parlor? A. It was after four o'clock, on my return from work; 

Q. What did Surratt say when he presented him? A. He merely said, 
"Mr. Weichmann, let me introduce to you Mr. Atzerodt." That is all. At- 
zerodt was a very funny sort of a fellow. 

Q. Did you talk with him? A. I do not remember anything that he 
said. 

Q. Was there anything more said by Surratt at that time that you re¬ 
member? A. No, sir. 

Q. Did Atzerodt say anything except the ordinary courtesy of the in¬ 
troduction? A. No, sir. 

Q. What did Atzerodt do then? A. I do not know; he visited Surratt 
very frequently. 

Q. How long did he stay there this time? A. Ho staid there perhaps 
an hour, or a little longer. 

Q. State whether he and Surratt on this occasion went out together. 

A. That I cannot now remember. 

a. Did they converse together? A. 0, yes, sir. 

Q. Where? A. In the parlor. 

Q. Did Mrs. Surratt converse with either of them? A. Yes, sir; Miss 
Anna Surratt also, and Miss Fitzpatrick. 

Mr, PIERREPONT: I am speaking of Mrs. Mary E. Surratt. A. Yes, sir. 

Q. What part of the parlor did Surratt and Atzerodt talk in? A. I 
really cannot remember that. 

Q. Was there anything particular said on this occasion? A. No, sir; 
nothing at all that I remember. 

Q. How long did he stay? A. He may have remained in the house an 
hour. 

Q. Did he go into any other room than the parlor? A. Not that I re¬ 
member . 

Q. Do you know with whom he went away? A. I do not know whether he 
left the house with Surratt on that particular occasion or not. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Then answer the question. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: You say you do not know? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. What other man did you see in the house that night? If not any, 
say so. A. None at all except Mr. Holahan; he was a boarder at Mrs. 
Surratt's. 

Q. When did you next see Atzerodt at the house? A. 0, I saw him 
very frequently there between the time of his first coming there and up 
to the time of the assassination; perhaps he visited there altogether 
twenty times. 

Q. He was there, then, very often? A. 0, yea, sir; very often in¬ 
deed . 

Q. That is you saw him there very often? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. Will you state during what hours of the day your occupations kept 
you from the house? A. From nine until half past four. 

Q, At what hours in the day or at night were you in the habit of see- 


7 




54 


ing Atzerodt there so frequently? A. I generally met him in the parlor 
on my return from work between four and five or five and six o'clock. 

Q. What wqs he doing there? A. Nothing in particular that I know of, 
except talking with Surratt. 

q. Did Booth also come there? A. Booth came there very frequently. 

Q. Do you remember of Surratt going anywhere in February of that year? 
A. Yes, sir; he went to New York in the early part of February. 

(1. Did he tell you what he went for? and if so what? A. He did not 
state what he went for, but he did state who he saw there, 

Q. Who was that? A. John Wilkes Booth. 

Q. What more did he tell you about that visit to New York when he saw 
John Wilkes Booth? A. Nothing, except saying that Booth had a very 
fine parlor, and that he had been introduced to Edwin Booth. 

Q, In New York? A. Yes. sir. 

Q. When did you first see Payne? A. I met Payne at Mrs. Surratt's 
house in the latter part of February, 1865, for the first time. I was 
seated in Mrs. Surratt's parlor one evening when I heard the door-bell 
ring. I went to the door. On opening it I saw standing there a man, 
tall, with very black hair, very black eyes, and ruddy countenance. He 
askt me if Mr, Surratt was at home. I said he was not. Then he askt me 
if Mrs. Surratt was at home. I said she was. He then exprest a desire 
to see Mrs. Surratt. I inquired his name, and he said Mr. Wood. I went 
into the parlor and told Mrs. Surratt that a gentleman by the name of 
Mr. Wood was at the door who wisht to see her. She requested me to in¬ 
troduce him. I did introduce him to Mrs. Surratt and the rest in the 

parlor as Mr. Wood. I had never met him before this, and I did not in¬ 

troduce him to Mrs. Surratt of my own accord. I never saw the man before. 

Q. What did Mrs. Surratt do? A. Payne approacht Mrs. Surratt and 

talkt to her. I do not know what he said. She came to me in a few mo¬ 

ments and said that this gentleman would like to have some supper', and 
as the dining-room below was disarranged, she would be very much obliged 
to me if I would take supper up to him in my own room. I said "Yes," 
and I did take supper on a waiter to him in my own room. 

Q. At this time did Mrs. Surratt appear to know him? 

Mr. BRADLEY: He has told us all he knows about it. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Was there any sign of recognition? A. No, sir; not 
that I could see. 

Q. And you introduced him? A. Yes, sir, 

Q. What occurred after the supper was carried up to your room? A, I 
sat down there while he was eating supper and made some inquiries of him, 
asking him where he was from, etc. He said he was from Baltimore. 

Q. In what story was this room of yours where he had this supper? A, 

It was in the third story. 

Q. Front or rear? A. Third story, back room. 

Q. What furniture was there in the room. A. There was a bed there. 

Q. The bed on which you and Surratt slept? A. Yes, 8ir--a table, a 
looking-glass, and three trunks. 

Q. It was a bed-room? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. Will you here describe that house? Describe how the parlor story 
is entered, and how the basement is entered. A. It is a house contain- 

8 



55 


ing ten rooms. The two rooms on the first story were respectively the 
dining-room and the kitchen. 

Q. How did you enter them? A. The dining-room was entered from the 
street. There is a passage that leads right along by the dining-room, 
and that is entered from the street. 

Q. What is the passage you speak of, an alley-way? A. No, sir; a 
passage in the house--a hall. 

Q. Is there an alley-way on the lot? A. There is an alley-way on 
the side of the house toward Sixth street. 

Mr. PIERREPONT; I mean that. Is it on the east side? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. How do you enter the parlor story? A. The parlor story is en¬ 
tered by a very high flight of stairs, 

Q. Where are the stairs? A, Outside on the street. The parlor 
fronts the street, and Mrs, Surratt's room was directly back of the par¬ 
lor. She occupied the back room on the second story. There are two 
rooms in the second, and three in the third story. 

Q. Your room to which you took the supper, was a bed-room in the 
third story back? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. Tell what occurred while Payne was eating his supper there, A. I 
askt him where he was from. He said Baltimore. "Any business there?" 
said I. He said: "I am a clerk in the china store of Mr. Parr." 

Q. What more? A, That was about all. He ate his supper and then 
said he would like to retire. He did retire. 

Q. To what room? A. He slept in the attic. He did not then, nor 
did he ever, sleep in my room. 

ft. Did you see him the next morning? A. No, sir; when I arose he 
was gone. 

ft. When did you next .see Payne at the house? A. I saw Payne the 
next time on the evening of the 13th of March, 1865. As luck would have 
it I was again sitting in the parlor when the bell rang. I again went 
to the door. I met the same man whom I had met three weeks before. His 
former visit, however, had produced so little impression on me that I 
had forgotten him. I askt him his name. He said: "My name is Mr. 

Payne." He again askt for Mr. Surratt, but Mr. Surratt was not at home 
that evening. I took him into the parlor, where were Mrs. Surratt and 
the ladies, and said: "This is Mr. Payne." They all recognized him and 
sat down and commenced conversation. In the course of the conversation 
one of the young ladies called him Mr. Wood, and then I recollected that 
on the previous occasion he had given the name of Wood. On this occa¬ 
sion he was no longer a clerk in a china store, but he reprssented him¬ 
self as a Baptist preacher. He wore a suit of gray clothes, and a black 
neck-tie. His baggage consisted of two linen shirts and a linen coat. 

The following day--I believe it was the afternoon--Surratt had returned. 
He was lying on the bed at the time. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Who was? A. Surratt. I was sitting at my table writ¬ 
ing. Payne walks in, looks at Surratt, and says: "Is this Mr. Surratt?" 

Mr, PIERREPONT: You were in your room up stairs? A. Yes, sir. I 
said: "It is." He then lookt at me, and immediately observed, "I would 
like to talk privately to Mr. Surratt." I then got up and went out of 
the room, as any gentleman would have done. The following day, the 15th 





56 


March, on returning to my room from my work, I found a false moustache 
on my table. Not thinking much about it, I threw it into a toilet box 
that was there. From the appearance of things around my room, I knew 
John Surratt was at home. I then went up into the back attic, and just 
as I opened the door I saw Surratt and Payne seated on the bed, surround¬ 
ed by spurs, bowie-knives, and revolvers. They instantly threw out 
their hands as if they would like to conceal them. When they saw it was 
I they regained their equanimity. 

Q. Where did those things lie? A. They were on the ted. 

Q. State what those things were. A. Eight spurs--bran new spurs-- 
aud two revolvers. 

Q. How were they as to being new? A. I do not now remember whether 
the revolvers were new or not. There were two revolvers, however, and 
two bowie-knives. When I went down to dinner, I walkt into the parlor 
and told Mrs. Surratt that I had seen John and Payne fencing with those 
things here, and added: "Mrs. Surratt, I do not like this." 

Q. Did you tell her what you did not like? A. Yes, sir; about Sur¬ 
ratt being seen with bowie-knives. 

Q. Did you tell her what you had seen? A. Yes, sir. I told her I 
had seen them on the bed playing with those toys. She told me that I 
should not think anything of it; that I* knew John was in the habit of 
riding into the country, and that he had to have these things as a means 
of protection. We went down to dinner. The same evening Surratt showed 
me a ten-dollar ticket for a private box at the theater. I wrested the 
ticket from him, and told him I was going to the theater. "No," said he, 
"you are not. I don't want you to go to the theater this evening, for 
private reasons," He then struck me in the pit of the stomach, and took 
the ticket away from me again. He was very anxious that evening to take 
the smallest ladies in the house. 

Q. Did he take any? A. He askt Miss Dean to go, and she consented, 
q. State who Miss Dean was. A. Miss Dean was a little girl in the 
house about eleven years of age. He requested Miss Holahan, daughter of 
the Mr. Holahan to whom I have referred, to go, but as Miss Holahan was 
then preparing for her first communion in our church, she refused. 

q. How old was she? A. Miss Holahan, I suppose, was about thirteen 
years of age. I did not ask their ages, and therefore do not know them 
positively, but from appearances such was my judgment. He next askt 
Miss Fitzpatrick to go, and she consented. 

q. About how old was Miss Fitzpatrick at that time? A. She was sev¬ 
enteen at least, I should think. Those who went to the theater were 
Miss Dean, Miss Fitzpatrick, Payne, and Surratt. Before they left Sur¬ 
ratt came and borrowed a blue military cloak that I had at that time, 
and said that he wanted Payne to wear it. 

q. How long was this before the assassination? A. Just about four 
weeks. It was on the 15th of March. 

q. To what theater did they go? A. To Ford's theater. That night, 
about eleven o'clock, as I was lying in my bed--I had rotired--Surratt 
and Payne came into the room. Surratt took a pack of playing-cards 
which were on the mantel of my room, when they both left, and remained 


10 



57 


out all night. A few days afterwards, in conversation with a young man 
named Brophy-- 

Mr. BRADLEY: Was Surratt present? A. Yes, sir. In this conversa¬ 
tion with this young man, Surratt stated that he had spent the other 
night, meaning the 15th of March, with a party of sociables at Gautier's 
saloon, and that he would like to introduce us, but it was a private 
club, or something to that effect. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: When was it you saw Surratt and Payne again, after 
they left that night, at eleven o'clock? A. The next day, on returning 
from my office. 

Q. That was the 16th of March? A. Yes, sir, 

Q. You did not see them in the morning? A. 0, yes; they came in the 
morning about seven o'clock. • 

ft. Came to the house? A. Yes, sir. 

ft. State what then occurred. A. They simply came; nothing occurred 
other than their entrance. 

ft. What time did you go to your office that day? A. I had to be at 
the office at nine o'clock*, and I generally left the house at a quarter 
past or half past eight. 

The court here took a recess for half an hour. 


^ AFTERNOON SESSION. 

LOUIS J. WEICHMAN. Examination resu.med. 

By Mr. PIERREPONT: 

ft. I had past to the 15th and 16th of March in my last inquiry. I 
now pass back to the third of March. Can you tell what occurred on 

third of March, 1865; whether you saw Surratt and Booth? A. Yes, sir. 

i ft. Where? A, I went down the street with Surratt in the evening of 

I, that day. At that time there was a good deal of serenading around town 

I on account of the proposed inauguration of the President on the follow- 
Jing day. After a while Surratt left me, and I went to hear the music. 

« ft. Whom did you first go out with? A. John Surratt, 

I A. Was there anybody else with you when you first went out? A. No, 

* air, 

. ft. Did anybody join you? A. No, sir. 

I ft. You came back together? A. No, sir; we did not come back togeth- 
ier; Surratt left me. 

ft. Where did he leave you? A. On Pennsylvania avenue, near Eighth 
^ street. 

ft. Then what occurred? A. When I returned to the house of Mrs. Sur¬ 
ratt I saw John Wilkes Booth and John H. Surratt in the parlor talking 
I together. 

^ ft. About what time did you return? A. After seven. 

ft. Then what occurred? A. Then I proposed that we should walk up to 
■the Capitol. Congress was at that time in session. Three of us did go- 




s- 

i 


11 




5 ^ 


Surratt, Booth, and myself. When we were returning from the Capitol, 
Surratt and I left Booth at the corner of Sixth street and Pennsylvania 
avenue. 

Q. What did Surratt then do? A. We went home. 

Q. Did you see Booth again that night? A. No, sir. 

Q. After you and Surratt got home, what? A. Nothing. 

Q. Did you see Booth the next morning, the fourth March? A. I saw 
him on the evening of the fourth, at Mrs. Surratt's. He was in the par¬ 
lor then. I did not see him during the day. 

Q. Was John Surratt at home that evening? A. Yes, sir; he had been 
riding around town all day with the procession; he was on horseback. 

Q. Did you see Herold that evening? A. No, sir. 

Q. Who else beside Booth and Surratt were at the house that evening? 
A. No one that I know of except those in the house. 

Q. Up to this date had you seen Herold at the town house? A. I met 
Herold at Mrs. Surratt's once. 

Q. When was that? A. In March, 1865. 

Q. What time in the day? A. After four o'clock. I generally saw 
these people there, and these events that I narrate, after four o'clock. 

Q. Where was Herold then? A. He was in my room talking with Atze- 
rodt and John Surratt. 

Q. He came there on horseback. Do you know how he went away? A. He 
went away on horseback. He had left his horse in Mrs. Surratt's yard. 

Q. When did you next See Herold at the house? Did you see him there 
between that time and the 16th of March, 1865? A. I saw him only once 
at Mrs. Surratt's house. 

Q. Do you know what the play was on this night that you speak of 
Payne and Surratt going to the theater with these young girls? A. Jane 
Shore. 

Q. Do you know whether Booth played that night? A. He did not. 

Q. Do you know when he did play at Ford's Theater next after that? A. 
He played on the evening of the 18th of March. 

Q. What did Booth play in at Ford's theater on the 18th? A. He took 
the part of Pescara in the play of The Apostate. 

Q. Who were there? A. Surratt invited me to go to the theater that 
evening with him. I at first refused, but finally consented. He showed 
me a pass for two, signed by J. Wilkes Booth. As we went down Seventh 
street, near the corner of Seventh street and Pennsylvania avenue, we 
met Atzerodt. He was also going to the theater. At the theater we met 
David E. Herold and Mr. John T. Holahan, a fellow-boarder at Mrs Sur¬ 
ratt ' s. 

Q. Then at the theater that night were Surratt, Herold, Atzerodt, and 
yourself, and Booth playing. A. Yes, sir. Mr. Holahan was also there. 

Q. And this you say was on the 18th? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. On the i9th did anything happen? A. Nothing in particular that I 
remember. 

Q. On the 20th? A. Surratt was walking past the post-office then, 

I met him as I was going home. He went to the post-office and inquired 
for a letter addrest to him under the name of James Sturdy. 

Q. He got such a letter did he? A. He did. 

12 



59 


Q. Did he show it to you? A. He did. 

Q. Do you know where it came from? h. From New York. 

Q. Do you know who wrote it? A. The letter was signed "Wood." It 

was written in a very bad hand. 

(Mr. Bradley objecting to any reference being made as to the signa¬ 
ture of the letter or its contents, the witness was cautioned by the 

court not to speak of the contents of any paper unless it was produced 

and proved, nor to refer to anything said by any person other than some 
of the parties connected with this conspiracy.) 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Will you tell us what Surratt said to you on getting 
this letter? A. He did not say anything that I now remember of. He 
merely showed me the letter. 

Q. Did he state who the man was, or anything about it? A. Yes, sir’, 
he stated it was "Wood," who had been at Mrs. Surratt's house. 

Q. Did he tell you where this "Wood" was? A. No, sir. 

Q. Was there anything more that he told you on that subject that you 
remember? A. No, sir. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Then I pass from that to the following day, the 21st. 
Did anything occur on that day? A. Not that I remember. 

Q. Did you see any of these parties on the 21et? A. Not that I re¬ 
member . 

Q. Did you see Surratt? A. If he was at home at the time I must 
have seen him. 

Q. I ask what your memory is about seeing him? A. I have no memory 
about it. 

Q. How on the 23d of March? A. On the 23d Mrs. Eliza Holahan, the 
wife of J. T. Holahan, who boarded at Mrs. Surratt's house, came to the 
office where I was employed and handed me a telegram from New York. 

Q. Do you know where that telegram is? A. The last that I saw of it, 
it was in the possession of the War Department. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Say nothing about it then. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: State whether this is the telegram. (Handing witness 
a telegram from New York, dated March 23, 1865.) A. Yes, sir: that is 
i t. 

The telegram was then read as follows: 


"New York, March 23, 1865. 

"Received, Washington, March --, 1865, - o'clock. 

"7o - Wickman, Esq., 541 H. street: 

"Tell John to telegraph number and street at once. 

"J. BOOTH." 

Mr. BRADLEY: I object to the introduction of the evidence, because 
there is no sort of proof that J. Wilkes Booth wrote the telegram. This 
copy cannot be any evidence of that fact. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: This is the one received. 

THE COURT: It cannot be any evidence, unless connected in some way. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: It will be connected in a few seconds, sir. 

Mr. BRADLEY: That is what I am waiting for. 

13 







6o 


Mr. PIERREPONT: What did you do when you got this telegram? A. 

Tnere were two things about the telegram that struck my attention. My 

first name was omitted, and my last name was not spelt correctly. It 
was spelt "Wickman." I knew of no party in New York who could send me a 
telegram. I had no acquaintances there. I opened the envelop, and I 
saw it was from Booth. I did not know why he should address me a tele¬ 
gram. I showed it to several of the clerks in the office, and I took 
the telegram home that day and showed it to Surratt. 

Q. What did he say? A. I told him I thought it was intended for him. 
I askt him what number and street were meant. The telegram reads, "Tele¬ 
graph number and street at once." He says, "Don't be so damned inquisi¬ 
tive." That same evening he askt me to walk down the street with him. 

We went as far as Tenth and F, when he met Miss Anna Ward. He then 

walkt back from* Tenth and F street to Ninth and F streets with me, and 

went into the Herndon House and called for Mrs. Murray. 

ft. You went in with him? A. Yes, sir. 

ft. When she came he desired to speak to her privately? A. Mrs. Mur¬ 
ray did not understand him. Then Surratt said, "Perhaps Miss Anna Ward 
has spoken to you about this room. Did she not speak to you about engag¬ 
ing a room for a delicate gentleman who was to have his meals sent up to 
his room, and that he wanted the room for the following Monday, which 
was the 27th of March, 1865"? Mrs. Murray recollected, and said that a 
room had been engaged. The name of the party for whom the room was en¬ 
gaged was not mentioned by myself, by Mrs. Murray, or b^ John Surratt. 

ft. What more occurred in the Herndon house at that time? A. Nothing 
more; we then left and returned home. After I got to my room he went 
out again. 

ft. Did he say anything about this man who was delicate and who would 
want his meals in his room? A. No, sir; he did not mention his name at 
all. 

ft. Did he say anything about him further than you have mentioned? A. 

I think he stated that he would come from New York; that, however, is 
merely an impression of mine. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Let us have facts, not impressions. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: When you say your impression what do you mean? Do 
you mean your best recollection? A. Not exactly a recollection, but a 
faint idea. 

ft. I do not desire anything that is not your recollection and your 
best recollection. What more was done? A. Nothing more that evening 
that I remember. 

ft. Did you get any other telegram? A. No, sir. 

ft. We have here now the original telegram, a copy of which was intro¬ 
duced and read a few moments since. Is that (handing telegram to wit¬ 
ness) Booth's handwriting? A. It is. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Before he gives an opinion let us ascertain what knowl¬ 
edge he has of Booth's handwriting. 

The COURT: Let him state his opportunities for knowing whether it is 
his or not. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: What opportunities have you had for knowing anything 
about Mr, Booth's handwriting? A. I saw, previous to the receipt of 

* 14 




6i 


this telegram, several cards at Mrs. Surratt's house with Booth's name 
on them. 

Q. Written, do you mean? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. Have you seen him write? A. Yes, sir. 

Mr. BRADLEY: When did you see him write? A. I saw him write between 
the time I made his acquaintance and the time of the assassination. 

Q. When and where? A. I cannot be so positive as to the time when, 
but I have seen him write between those two dates. 

Q. Write what? A. Well, he wrote his name on a card. 

Q. Was it J. Booth? A. J. W. Booth. 

Q. Did you ever see him write his name J. Booth? A. No, sir. 

Q. And you mean to say that from having seen him write some other 

name, and that on cards, you are able to identify this? A. I have seen 
him write his own name, and this corresponds exactly with what I saw him 
then write; I can tell it is his from the general character of his writ¬ 
ing, and the manner in which he made his "B." 

Q. Where did you ever see him write it? A. At the National Hotel in 
this city. 

Q. A letter, or what? A. I have seen him write his name. 

Q. But I am not asking about his name because you saw him write J. W. 

Booth. What else did you see him write? A. I saw him write a card 
once that he sent to Mrs. Surratt. 

Q. Pencil or not? A. He wrote with pencil. 

Q. The extent, then, of your knowledge of his handwriting is that you 
once saw him write a card with pencil, and saw him write his name--how 
often? A. I do not remember that. 

Q. Did you ever see him write it except on that one card? A. Yes, 
sir. 

Q. Where? A. He gave me his autograph once. 

Q. Was that J. Booth? A. No, not J. Booth; he put in the initial of 
his middle name. 

Q. And from the knowledge of his handwriting thus gained you swear 
positively that this telegram is in his handwriting? A. The writing 
corresponds exactly. There is the same "B." 

Mr. BRADLEY; That will do; let it go in. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: If there is any question about this being his hand¬ 
writing we will prove it beyond a doubt. 

Mr. BRADLEY: It will be time enough to talk about that when you offer 
the proof. Your Honor will say whether that is evidence to go to the 
jury. 

The COURT: Yes, sir; I am satisfied that that is evidence sufficient 
to let this go before the jury. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: This was on the 23d of March, I think. Now on the 
24th of March did anything occur or not? A. No, sir. 

Q. Then I will come to the 25th of March, 1865. Did you see John Sur¬ 
ratt on that day? A. Yes, sir. As I went to breakfast, and lookt out 
of the dining-room window, I saw John Surratt, his mother, and Mrs. Sla¬ 
ter, who had been at the house previously, in a carriage containing four 
seats, to which were attacht a pair of white horses. 

Q. Do you know where the horses came from? A. Yes, sir. Mrs. Sur- 

15 







62 


ratt, the same evening, told me that the horses had been hired from 
Brooke Stabler, 

Q. Did the three go away together? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. About what time in the day did the three leave? A. About eight 
o'clock in the morning, 

Q. When did you next see Mrs. Surratt? A. I saw her the same even¬ 
ing . 

Q. Where? A. In her house. 

Q. How did she come back A, She returned alone. 

Q. Did she return in the carriage, or in some other way? A. In the 
Port Tobacco etage--the stage that runs from Bryantown, or Port Tobacco, 
to Washington, and delivers passengers at the Pennsylvania House. 

Q. Did Mrs. Slater and John Surratt return with her? A. No, sir. 

Q. Did they come there that night at all? A. No, sir. 

Q. Did Mrs. Surratt tell you anything that occurred with them? A. I 

askt her where John had gone. She said he had gone to Richmond with Mrs. 
Slater, to get a clerkship. 

Q. Did you see those horses again? A. I did. 

Q. When? A. I saw them the following Sunday. 

Q. How long after; what day of the month was that? A. That was the 
26th day of March. 

Q. The next day, then? A, Yes, sir, 

ft. Where did you see them; who had them? A. I saw them in front of 
Mrs. Surratt's house. They were driven there by a Dr. Wyvil. 

ft. Did Mrs. Surratt say anything to you about them? A. On Saturday 
evening, as I was leaving the house, she requested me to go round to 
Brooke Stabler's, and say that the horses would not be returned until 
the following Sunday, the 26th of March. I made some objection. "0," 
says she, "Brooke considers John, Herold, and Atzerodt a party of gam¬ 
blers and sports, and I want him to think so." 

ft. Did you tell Brooke Stabler? A. I did. 

ft. When the horses came back what was done with them? A. They were 
returned by this Dr. Wyvil to Brooke Stabler. 

ft. Did Mrs. Surratt say anything to you about her son having gone to 
Richmond with Mrs. Slater, or about the horses? A. No, sir. 

ft. You remember nothing more? A. No, sir. 

ft. Do you remember anything more in this connection on this day? A. 

On the morning of the 26th of March, as I was going to church, Mrs. Sur¬ 

ratt came to me. 

ft. The 26th was Sunday, was it? A. Yes, sir. She came to me and 

askt me if I would not go to the National Hotel and request Mr. Booth to 

come and see her in the afternoon. As I went down Sixth street, between 
Pennsylvania avenue and C street, I met Atzerodt, who was also going to 
see Booth. 

ft. You went together, did you? A. Yes, sir. When we got to Booth's 

room. Booth introduced me to Mr, J. B. McCullough, the actor. After I 

communicated my message, I left and went to church, 

ft. What did you tell him? A. I told him that Mrs. Surratt wanted to 

see him on private business. That was Mrs, Surratt's message. Booth 

did come that afternoon. Just while these horses were in front of the 

16 



63 


house, Mrs, Surratt had an interview with him alone near the head of the 
kitchen stairs. 

Q, Did you hear anything they said? A. No, sir. 

Q. Did you go to church with her that day? A. I did. 

Q. What occurred in going or coming from church? A. Nothing that I 
remember. 

ft. Did she stop at any house? A. No, sir, not on the 26th of March, 

ft. Did she at any time with you in coming or going from church? A. 

There were two churches that she was in the habit of going to. One was 
St. Aloysius church, at the other end of the town, near the depot, and 
the other was St. Patrick's church. On this Sunday, however, she went 
with me to St. Aloysius church. When she went to church with me on Sun¬ 
day, she always went to St. Aloysius church. 

ft. Did you return from church with her? A. Yes, sir. 

ft. Did you stop anywhere? A, No, sir, not in going from St. Aloy¬ 

sius church. 

ft. In going from any church; I do not know the names of the churches 
here? A. On Sundays she went to St. Aloysius. During Lent there were 
evening services at St. Patrick's during week days, and she went there 
ft. Did you go with her to church at any time, and, returning, stop 
anywhere? I do not remember the dates. You will give them. A. Yes, 
sir. After the 27th, I do not remember the particular evening, Anna Sur¬ 
ratt, Miss Jenkins, Miss Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Surratt, and I, had been to 
St. Patrick's church, on the corner of Tenth and F streets. 

ft. What secured in returning? A. On returning she stopt at the Hern¬ 
don House, at the corner of Ninth and F streets. She went into the Hern¬ 
don House, and said that she was going in there to see Payne, 
ft. Mrs. Surratt said that? A. Yes, sir, 
ft. Tell what occurred? A, She did go, and she came out. 
ft. How long was she in there? A. Perhaps twenty minutes, 
ft. Did you see her when she came out? A. Yes, sir. 
ft. Where were you waiting? A. We walkt down Ninth street to E--the 
party did--and down E to Tenth; and then returned to the corner of Ninth 
and F, and met Mrs. Surratt just as she was coming out of the Herndon 
House. 

ft. Did she join you? A, Yes, sir; and went home with us. 

ft. To her house? A. Yes, sir. 

ft. Did she say anything to you? A. No, sir. 

ft. Did you have any conversation with her that day on that subject in 
any way? A. During that week I was one day going down Seventh Street, 
and again, near Seventh street and Pennsylvania avenue, I met Atzerodt. 

I askt Atzerodt where he was going. He replied, to see Payne. Then I 
inquired: "Is it Payne who is stopping at the Herndon House?" His an¬ 
swer was, "Yes," I had always been curious to know who that man was who 
was stopping there. 

ft. Did Mrs. Surratt tell you who it was? A. When I mentioned to her, 
after reaching home, that the man Payne who had been boarding at her 
house was at the Herndon House she wanted to know how I knew it. I just 
told her, as I have stated here. 


I 


17 



64 


Q. What did you tell her? A. That Atzerodt told me. She appeared 
angry that Atzerodt should have said so to me. 

Q. State in what way she indicated her anger. A. Merely by her coun- 
tenance--her expression. 

Q. I come down now to the month of April in which the assassination 
happened. Do you know where Mrs. Surratt was on the 1st of April? A. 

In the morning, when I left the house, she was sitting at the breakfast 
table, and when I returned in the evening she was not at home. 

Q. When did you next see her? A. She came home a short time after¬ 
wards in a buggy driven by her brother, Mr. Jenkins. She said that she 
had been to Surrattsvilie. 

a. Did she say anything more? A. No, sir. 

Q. On that first of April, or the evening of that day, did you see 
either of these parties at the house? A. No, sir. 

Q. On the fourth and fifth, did you? A. I saw Atzerodt at Mrs. Sur¬ 
ratt's house on the second of April. She had again sent me, on the morn¬ 
ing of the second of April, to the National Hotel to see Booth, and, if 
he was not there, to go and see Atzerodt, and tell either of them that 
she wanted to see him that morning. 

Q. Did you go? A. I went to the National Hotel, but Booth was not 
there. 

Q. Did you find Atzerodt? A. I then went to the Pennsylvania House, 
and right in front of the Pennsylvania House I saw Atzerodt standing and 
holding by the bridle two horses; one was a very small one, and the oth¬ 
er a very large horse, blind of one eye. Said I to him: "Whose horses 
are those?" He replied: "One is mine and the other is Booth's." I 
then communicated ray message to him, and he requested me to get on one 
of the horses and ride back with him. I refused, stating that I wisht 
to go to church. He then said he would go to church with me. Then I 
mounted the horse, and Atzerodt and I rode to Mrs. Surratt's house. At¬ 
zerodt got off and went in to Mrs, Surratt's, and I remained outside 
part of the time, taking care of the horses. That same afternoon Mrs. 
Surratt said to me that Mr. Jenkins, her brother, would like to return 
to the country, and that she would be much obliged to me if I would go 
to the Pennsylvania House and see Atzerodt, and say to him that he would 
oblige her very much by letting Mr. Jenkins have one of John's horses-- 
meaning her son's horses. I went down to the Pennsylvania House that af¬ 
ternoon with Mr. Jenkins, and I did ask Atzerodt for one of these horses 
for Mr, Jenkins, stating to him my message as I had received it. His re¬ 
ply was that before he could loan Mr. Jenkins one of the horses he would 
have to see Mr. Payne about it. I then said to him: "What has Payne to 
do with the horses? You have said that one is yours, that another is 
Booth's, and Mrs. Surratt says that the horses are John's." John Sur¬ 
ratt himself had told me that they were his, and had shown me at one 
time a receipt for the livery of the same two horses, the bill amounting 
to thirty dollars. 

Q. What did he reply? A. His answer was that Payne had a heap to do 
with them. Mr. Jenkins, Atzerodt, and myself then walkt up to the cor¬ 
ner of Ninth and F streets, and Atzerodt requested us to remain outside 
and he would go in and see about the horses. 

18 



6 


5 


Q. What house was that? A. The Herndon House. He told us to remain 
outside on the pavement. Mr. Jenkins and I remained on the pavement for 
about twenty minutes. Atzerodt came out, and he told us that Mr. Payne 
would not consent to the loan of those horses. I returned to Mrs. Sur¬ 
ratt's house and told her what Atzerodt had said. She said she thought 
it was very unkind of Mr. Atzerodt; that she had been his friend, and 
had loaned him the last five dollars out of her pocket. 

Q. What more occurred? A. Nothing more on that day. 

Q. You didn't get the horse? A. No, sir; Mr. Jenkins walkt home the 
next morning. I believe. 

Q. This was the second? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. Now on the third what occurred? A. On the third of April, after 
the excitement and noise of the day, I was seated in Mrs. Surratt's par¬ 
lor in the evening, on the sofa, when, about half past six o'clock, John 
Surratt walkt into the room. He was very neatly drest. He had on a new 
pair of pants. I askt him where he had been. His answer was to Rich¬ 
mond. I then said, "Richmond is evacuated. Did you not hear the news?" 
"No, it is not," he said; "I saw Benjamin and Davis in Richmond, and 
they told me it would not be evacuated." 

Q. Was Mrs. Surratt in the room at this time? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. What did she say? A. She merely bade him good evening. 

Q. How long did he stay there? A. He went up into my room and put 
on some clean clothes. 

Q. Did he go with you? A. No, sir; he went up before me. I went up 
a few minutes afterwards; I think he called me up stairs. 

Q. When you got to the room with him, what did he say? A. He did 
not say very much. He said that he wanted to exchange forty dollars in 
gold. He did exchange this forty dollars in gold for forty dollars in 
greenbacks. He showed me in the room nine or eleven twenty-dollar gold 
pieces, and fifty dollars in greenbacks. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Before he made the exchange? A. He made the exchange 
after he showed me the gold. He showed me the gold and the greenbacks 
at the same time. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Did he say anything as to where he had got the money? 
A. I did not ask him where he got it. I exprest a sort of surprise. 

He said that he had an account in the Bank of Washington, but he did not 
say that he had gotten this money from the Bank of Washington. 

Q. Did he say anything when you exprest your surprise? A. No, sir. 

Q. Did you see any other money that he had? A. No, sir; not that 
evening. 

Q. Any other evening? A. No, sir. 

Q. That was all the money you saw him have at that time? A. I had 
seen him before. He always appeared to have plenty of money in hie pock- 
ets--five dollars and ten dollars. He seemed to be always well supplied. 

Q. Had you seen him with any quantity of money, except on the occas¬ 
ion of which you have just spoken? A. No, sir. 

Q. Did he tell you where he got this, or any of it? A. No, sir. 

ft. What time in the evening of the third of April, did he leave the 
room? A. He left there about seven o'clock. 

ft. What did he say? A. Between half past six and half past seven he 

19 





66 


aekt me to go down the street with him and take some oysters. He was 
drest in gray clothes, with a shawl thrown over his shoulders. He told 
me that same evening that he was going to Montreal. We got the oysters 
near Four-and-a-half street and Pennsylvania avenue, 

Q, Did he tell you the day he left Richmond? A. No, sir. 

Q. After eating the oysters, what occurred? A. We walkt back as far 
as the Metropolitan Hotel, and there he bade me good night. He said he 
would correspond with me when he got to Montreal. I have not met him 
since, except to-day. 

Q. On the fifth of April what occurred? Did you observe Booth or Her- 
old? A. Booth was at the house between the third and the tenth of 
April, on one or two occasions. I remember on one of those occasions a 
letter was received. 

Q. What time in the evening was this the case? A. About seven or 
eight o'clock. 

Q. In the parlor? A. Yes, sir. I walkt into the parlor. Booth was 
sitting on the sofa. Mrs. Surratt was in the room, and a young lady; 
and Miss Anna Surratt was directly opposite Booth. I eat down at the 
other end of the same sofa on which Booth was sitting. After conversing 
for a while around the room. Booth got up and said: "Miss Ward, will 
you please let me see the address of that lady?" Miss Ward advanced to 
meet him in the center of the room, and handed him a letter. After 
Booth and Miss Ward had gone out, Anna Surratt got up and said, "Mr. 
Weichmann, here is a letter from brother John," and read the letter. No 
lady's name was mentioned in it. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: We cannot give the contents until we produce the let¬ 
ter . 

Mr. BRADLEY: If he can repeat it, I have no sort of objection. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I do not want him to repeat it, until the letter is 
in court. 

Mr. BRADLEY: What became of that letter? 

WITNESS: I do not know, sir; I have not seen it since. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Well, go on, 

WITNESS: On another occasion, when Booth was in the parlor, I com¬ 
menced to jest him about the fall of Richmond. He said that the confede¬ 
racy was not gone up yet, and showed me one of the Perrine war maps. 

Q. Was this the same evening on which you had seen the letter? A. 

No, sir. It was on another evening. 

Q. What are those maps of which you speak? A. They are a sort of 
war maps'-maps of the southern section of the country. He showed me the 
different routes that Lee and Johnston were going to take. Nothing more 
than that. 

Q. On the sixth of April, what occurred? A, Nothing that I remember 
of now. 

Q. Did Mrs. Surratt go into the country on the sixth? A. Not that I 
remember. 

Q. Do you remember anything as to whether Atzerodt, between the first 
and the tenth, used to come there as well as Booth? A. I did not see 
Atzerodt at Mrs. Surratt's house after Sunday, the second of April. 


20 



67 


Q. Did you see Herold there? A. I did not see Herold at Mrs. Sur¬ 
ratt's house after March, 1865. 

Q. We now come to the eleventh, just before the assassination. What 
occurred on that day, as you remember? A. On the evening of the tenth 
Mrs. Surratt askt me if I would not be kind enough to drive her into the 
country on the morning of the eleventh of April. I consented. 

Q. What day of the 'week was that? A. That was Tuesday. 

Q. Did you go with her? A. Yes,sir, the following morning. 

Q. What time did you leave? A. She said to me: "Mr. Weichmann won't 
you go round to the National Hotel and tell Mr. Booth that I sent you 

for his horse and buggy, and desire to know whether I can have it." I 

did go to the National Hotel, and found Booth in his room. I communicat 
ed my message just as Mrs. Surratt had told me. He said: "I have sold 
the horse and buggy, but here are ten dollars; go you and hire one." In 
speaking about the horses, I said to him: "I thought they were John Sur 
ratt's horses." "No," says he, "they are my horses." I left the hotel, 
and went to Howard's stable and hired a horse and buggy. I then went to 
Mrs. Surratt's house. We left the house about half past nine o'clock. 

*8 we were on our way down to Surrattsvilie, we met Mr. John M. Lloyd. 

Q. Where did you meet him? A. I met him just outside of a little 
village there. The name of the village I have since understood to be 
Uniontown. 

Q. Did you stop? A. Yes, sir; and she told Mr. Lloyd to stop too. 

Mr. Lloyd got out of his carriage, and came and spoke to her. She 

leaned her head out of the window and talkt to him. I do not know any¬ 
thing of the conversation that past between them. 

ft. Why did you not hear it? A. In the first place, I never make a 
habit of listening to people; and, in the second place, the conversation 
was not loud enough for me to hear. 

ft. How long did he stop there? A. Several minutes, 
ft. You may state whether this is the Lloyd who kept the tavern? A. 
Yes, sir. He had rented Mrs. Surratt's house at Surrattsvilie. 

ft. Will you state in what tone of voice this conversation between Mr. 
Lloyd and Mrs. Surratt was carried on? A. It was in that kind of a 
tone that I did not hear. 

ft. You can tell whether it was of an apparently confidential tone in 
lowness, or whether it was loud and free? A. It seemed to me to be in 
a confidential tone. • 

ft. You did not hear the words? A. No, sir. If I had heard them, I 
would have no hesitation in saying so. 

ft. You did not hear them, and therefore, of course, you cannot tell 
what they were. 

Mr. BRADLEY: We want what the witness recollects; not any feelings, 
or impressions. 

WITNESS: Mrs. Surratt, after this, had a conversation in a louder 
tone with Mrs. Offutt, who was sitting in the carriage. 

ft. Was Lloyd driving? A. Yes, sir; he had been driving. 

ft. Did you hear what she said to Mrs. Offutt? A. Yes, sir. 

ft. What was it? A. She was speaking of a man by the name of Howell, 


21 




68 


who had been arrested on the 24th of March and thrown into the Old Capi¬ 
tol prison, as a blockade runner. 

Q. After this conversation what did you do? A. I drove to the tav¬ 
ern. 

Q. What occurred there? A. She wanted to meet a Mr. Nothey there, 
but when we arrived at Surrattsvilie, at half past twelve m,, Nothey was 
not there, and she had a messenger despatcht for him, with word that he 
should meet her there at two o'clock. We then drove further on to Mr. 
Bennett Gwynn's, where we took dinner. After dinner, Mr. Gwynn, Mrs. 
Surratt, and myself returned back to Surrattsvilie. 

Q. What occurred there? A. Mrs. Surratt went into the parlor, and 
this time found Mr. Nothey there. She had an interview with him. 

Q. Then what occurred? A. I do not know what occurred. I was not 
in the parlor when they had this interview. 

Mr. PIERREPONT; I ask only what you saw and heard. 

WITNESS; After they had concluded that business, Mrs. Surratt got in¬ 
to the buggy and returned to town. 

Q. At what time did you get back to town? A. We got back to town 
between five and six o'clock; perhaps not until six. 

Q. Did anything occur that night with any of these parties after you 
got back? A. No, sir. 

Q. On the next day, Wednesday? A. No, sir. 

Q. On Wednesday evening? A. No, sir. 

Q. On Thursday? A. No, sir, 

Q. On Thursday evening? A. No, sir, 

ft. Now I come to Friday morning, the day of the assassination; what 
occurred on that morning? A. On Friday morning I went to my office as 
usual; arrived there at nine o'clock. This was Friday, the 14th of 
April. Was at the office until about half past ten, when an order came 
from the Secretary of War to the effect that those clerks under his 
charge who desired to attend divine service that day might do so. 

ft. This was Good Friday? A. Yes, sir. I left the office and went 
directly to St. Matthew's church, at the corner of 15th and H streets. 
After service was over, about a quarter of one or one o'clock, perhaps, 

I v/ent home to Mrs. Surratt's house. 

ft. At what time? A. I got home at one o'clock or a little after one 
I took some lunch, and then went up to my room and sat down and wrote a 
letter. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Of what earthly consequence is all this? 

Mr. PIERREPONT (to the witness): That is not important. 

WITNESS; About half past two or twenty or twenty-five minutes after 
two, I heard a knock at my room door. In opening the door I saw Mrs. 
Surratt. She stated to me that she had received a letter from Mr. 
Charles Calvert about her property, and that it would be necessary for 
her to go into the country again and see Mr. Nothey, who owed her $479 
with interest on the same for thirteen years. 

ft. The same Mr. Nothey with whom you had seen her on the eleventh? A 
Yes, sir. She gave me a ten-dollar note with which to go and get a 
horse and buggy. As I went out the parlor door, John Wilkes Booth came 
in. He shook hands with me and then went into the parlor. I then went 

22 





6g 


to Mr. Howard's stable and there saw Atzerodt, who was endeavoring to 
hire a horse. His request was not complied with. He could not get one. 
I askt him what he wanted with a horse. "0," he says, "I want to send 
off Payne." I then went to the post-office and dropt the letter I had 
written and returned to Mrs. Surratt's house. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Did you get the buggy? A. Yes, sir. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: And you went back with the buggy? A. Yes, sir; I 
went up into my room for a minute or two, and as I past the parlor door 
I saw Mrs. Surratt and Booth in conversation. 

Q. What time in the day was this? A. I cannot state the precise 
hour. It was between twenty five minutes past two, and twenty or twenty 
five minutes to three. Booth was standing with his back against the man 
tel-piece with his arm resting on it, and Mrs. Surratt had her back 
towards him. 

Q. What further? A. I went down to the buggy, and Mrs. Surratt came 
down in a few moments, and was just about getting into the buggy when 
she said: "Wait, Mr. Weichmann, I must.get those things of Booth's." 

She went up stairs into the house, and came down with a package in her 
hand. It was a package wrapt up in brown paper, tied round with a 

string, I believe, and, to the best of my knowledge, about five or six 

inches in diameter. I did not see the contents of the package. 

Q. Did you see what was done with it? A. It was put in the bottom 

of the buggy. Mrs. Surratt stated that it was brittle. She said even 
that it was glass, and was afraid of its being wet. I then helpt her in 
to the buggy, and we drove off. 

Q. On the way down, did anything occur of any note? A. Yes. sir; 
the buggy was halted once near a blacksmith's shop, about three miles 
from Washington, on the road to Surrattsvilie. There were some pickets 
there on the left hand side of the road near the blacksmith's shop. The 
soldiers were lolling on the grass, and the horses were grazing about. 
Mrs. Surratt had the buggy halted, and wanted to know how long those 
pickets would remain there. She was informed that they were withdrawn 
about eight o'clock. She said: "I am glad to know it," and drove off. 

Q. Did anything further occur until you got down to the house? A. 

No, sir. 

At this point the court took a recess until to-morrow (Friday) morning 
at ten o'clock. 


Friday, June 28, 1867 


The court met at ten o'clock a. m. 

Examination of LOUIS J. WEICHMANN resumed. 

By Mr. PIERREPONT: 

Q. When the court adjourned yesterday you were at the point of prog¬ 
ress towards Surrattsvi1le where you and Mrs. Surratt met the pickets, 
or men who spoke of pickets. Will you proceed to state what occurred af 
ter that? A. Mrs. Surratt's manner all the way down was very lively 
and cheerful. We arrived at Surrattsvilie about half past four or five, 

23 





70 


Mrs. Surratt got out. She took out of the buggy, or rather I took out 
and" gave to her, the package that had been placed in the bottom of the 
buggy. She went inside into the parlor of Mr. Lloyd's house there. In 
a short time she called me and desired me to write a letter for her to 
Mr. Nothey. Would you like to have the contents of that letter stated? 

Mr. PIERREPONT; If you have not the letter you need not state the con¬ 
tents; you may, however, state anything Mrs. Surratt told you. 

WITNESS: She told me to write a letter that unless Mr. Nothey came 

forward and paid that note at once she would enter suit against him imme¬ 
diately. 

Q. Did you write a letter at the house on that day? A. Yes, sir; in 
the parlor. 

ft. What day? A. Fourteenth of April, 1865. 

ft. The day the President was murdered? A. Yes, sir. 

ft. What happened further on that day? A. She desired me also to com¬ 
pute the interest on four hundred and seventy-nine dollars for thirteen 
years. 

ft. Anything further after that at Surrattsvilie? A. I sealed the 
letter and put it in an envelop; she gave the letter to Mr. Gwinn to de¬ 
liver to Mr. Nothey; then I went out and for my own amusement drove the 
buggy up and down the road for about half or three-quarters of an hour. 

ft. Were you there when Mr. Lloyd returned? A. Yes, sir; he returned 
at about half past six, just as Mrs. Surratt got into the buggy ready to 
return to the city. I saw Mr. Lloyd; he recognized me. He noticed that 
the front spring of the buggy was broken; he called Mrs. Surratt's atten¬ 
tion to it, and she told him to get a little piece of rope and tie 
around it, that it might be fixt; he did so. In order for him to do so 
it was necessary for him to place himself between the horse and buggy, 
ft. Did he go there and do it? A. Yes, sir, he fixt it. 
ft. Anything further connected with the buggy? A. No, sir. 
ft. Did you see Mrs. Offutt there? A. Not that I remember, 
ft. What hour did you start for home? A. We left Surrattsville on 
our return home about half past six in the evening. 

ft. What occurred on the way home with Mrs. Surratt; was she very 
cheerful on the way returning? A. On our way home she said she was 
very anxious to be home at nine o'clock; that she was to meet some gen¬ 
tlemen there. 

ft. Did she state whom? A. I aekt her who it was, if it was Booth. 

She made no reply. 

ft. What further occurred in returning? A. I further stated some¬ 
thing about Booth's being in the city here and not acting; I askt her 
why he was not acting. Her reply was, Booth is done acting and is going 
to New York soon, never to return. She turned round to me and askt if I 
did not know that, or if I did not know that Booth was crazy on one sub¬ 
ject; I told her I did not. What that one subject was she never stated 
to me. On our return we met the pickets I had seen stationed on the 
left side of the road as we went down. The soldiers at this time were 
on their horses returning to the city; our buggy past right between them. 
I should suppose there were four or six soldiers on horseback, and I re¬ 
member distinctly that the buggy past right between them. 

24 



Q. When you got on the hill in front of the city did anything occur? 

A. Yee, sir; just about two miles from Washington there is a very high 
hill, which commands a fine view of the city. That evening of the 14th 

there was a brilliant illumination in Washington on account of the res¬ 

toration of the flag over Fort Sumter, I made some remarks to Mrs. Sur¬ 
ratt, saying that it was better for the country that peace should return. 
She said; "I am afraid that all this rejoicing will be turned into 
mourning and all this gladness into sorrow." 

Q. We now come down to the time you reacht home, 

WITNESS: I wish to state the end of this interview. I turned round 

to her and askt what she meant. She said that after sunshine there was 
always a storm; that the people were too proud and licentious, and that 
God would punish them. 

ft. Anything further in that conversation? A, No, sir, 

ft. Then I will come down to the time you reacht home. What hour was 

that? A. Just as we came into Pennsylvania avenue, near the Capitol, 
we saw a torch-light procession either coming up or going down the ave¬ 
nue. The horse shied at the brilliant lights and we were compelled to 
turn up Second street. 

ft. After turning from the torch-light procession, where did you then 
go? A. We arrived at home at nine o'clock, or a few minutes before 
nine. I helpt Mrs. Surratt to get out, and then returned the buggy. We 
left Surrattsvilie at half past six, and it takes two hours or'two hours 
and a half to come to Washington. I returned the buggy to Howard's sta¬ 
ble, which was right back of Mrs. Surratt's house on G street. I then 
immediately returned home. I then went down and partook of some supper. 
Mrs. Surratt the same evening showed me a letter which she had received 
from her son. While I was sitting there eating supper with Mies Fitzpat¬ 
rick, Miss Jenkins, Miss Surratt, and Mrs, Surratt in the room, I heard 
some one very rapidly ascending the stairs. 

ft. What stairs? A. The front etairs--the stairs leading to the sec¬ 
ond story. Mrs. Surratt, herself, answered the bell. 

ft. You mean the stairs outside of the house? A. Yes, sir. 
ft. Mrs, Surratt answered the tell--that is, she went to the door? A, 
Yes, sir. The servant remained below. The footsteps I heard going into 
the parlor. 

ft. Were they the footsteps of a man or a woman? A. The footsteps 
sounded to me like those of a man, made by boots. A woman generally 
makes a very light tread, and would ascend stairs without making any 
noise at all. 

ft. How long did he stay in the parlor? A. He remained there about 
five minutes, and then I heard the same footsteps descending the stairs. 

ft. What occurred with Mrs. Surratt after the footsteps descended the 
stairs; did she come down or remain up? A. She remained in the parlor. 
After supper I went into the parlor, and the young ladies who had been 
at supper with me also came into the parlor. We sat and talkt there. 

Mrs. Surratt once askt me where the torch-light procession was going 
that we had seen on the avenue. I told her that I thought it was a pro¬ 
cession of arsenal employees going to serenade the President. She re¬ 
plied that she would like to know very much, as she was interested in it. 

2S 




72 


As I recollect now, her manner appeared to me to be very nervous, and 
very restless. I once askt her what was the matter. She said she did 
not feel well. She had some prayer beads in her hand--6he was walking 
up and down the room. She once askt me to pray for her intentions. I 
askt her what her intentions were. She said I never prayed for any 
one's intentions unless I knew what they were. 

Q. Did this nervous excitement continue? A. Anna Surratt, Mies Fitz¬ 
patrick, and I were jesting and laughing a good deal. Mrs. Surratt said, 
"Oh, Mr. Weichmann, you and the girls are making too much noise; it is 
time for you to be off to bed anyhow;" and in a playful manner she 
chased us out of the parlor. I know Miss Fitzpatrick, Miss Jenkins, 

Miss Surratt, and I left the parlor at the same time, leaving Mrs. Sur¬ 
ratt there alone. I retired to my room perhaps ten or fifteen minutes 
before ten o'clock. Miss Jenkins and Miss Surratt retired to their 
rooms in the attic about the same time, and bade me good night at the 
door of my room. 

Q. Were their rooms over yours? A. They were not exactly over mine, 
but in the story above, in the attic. Miss Fitzpatrick occupied Mrs. 
Surratt's room. Mrs. Surratt occupied the room immediately in the rear 
of the parlor--in other words, she used the back parlor as a bed-room. 

Q. Miss Fitzpatrick slept in that room? A, Yes, sir; with Mrs. Sur¬ 
ratt. The next morning, about two o'clock, I heard the door bell ring 
very violently. It rang several times in very quick succession. There 
were only two gentlemen in the house, at that time, to my knowledge, Mr. 
Hollahan and myself. I drew on my pants, and, with my night-shirt open 
in front, barefoot, I went down to the front door. I rapt on the inside 
of the front door and inquired who was there, "Government officers," 
was the reply, "come to search the house for J. Wilkes Booth and John 
Surratt." 

Q. What did you say? .A. I told them that neither of them were at 
home. 

Q. What occurred further? A. "Let us in anyhow," said they; "we 
want to search the house." 

By the COURT: 

q. Was this on the morning of Saturday? A. Yes, sir; about two or 
half past two on the morning of April 15. I then told them it would 
first be necessary for me to ask Mrs. Surratt's permission; in order to 
do so, I went to her bed-room door, which was immediately in the rear of 
the parlor, and rapt, saying "Mrs. Surratt, here are government officers 
who wish to search the house." "For God's sake let them come in," said 
she; "I expected the house would be searcht," 

Q. Did you let them in? A. Yes, sir; I let them in. 

Q, Who were they? A. There wore about six or eight officers, as 
near as I can remember now; I remember two more particularly, Clarvoe 
and McDevitt, who belong to the city Metropolitan Police here. Some men 
had boon stationed outside the house in the alley-way, and some had gone 
into the yard, Clarvoe, McDevitt, and others immediately proceeded to 
soarch tho house. They first went to the attic, where Miss Jenkins and 
Miss Surratt were sleeping. I did not go up there with them. 


26 



73 


Q. You may state in what part of the house you went with them? A. I 
returned to my room; the detectives also came to my room. 

Q. Did you dress yourself that morning? A, Not just then; the de¬ 
tectives commenced to search my room; they lookt in the closet, lookt un¬ 
der the hed, and lookt all around, I askt them for God's sake tell me 
what is the matter; what this means; what means searching the house so 
early in the morning. One of them lookt at me and said, "Do you pretend 
to tell me you do not know what happened last night." I said I did, I 
did not know what had happened. 

Q. Was this said with an air of great incredulity to you? A. I can¬ 
not recollect the air. 

(This examination objected to by Mr. Bradley--it was not competent to 
ask what air the officer had. 

Objection overruled.) 

Mr, PIERREPONT: State what was the manner of these officers in making 
this inquiry? A. They appeared to be astonisht that I had not known 
what had transpired. Then Mr. Clarvoe said, "I will tell you," and he 
pulled out a piece of a cravat; there was blood on it. Said he; "Do you 
see that blood? That is Abraham Lincoln's blood; John Wilkes Booth has 
murdered Abraham Lincoln, and John Surratt has assassinated the Secreta¬ 
ry of State." I then went down stairs with Mr. Clarvoe and Mr. McDevitt. 
Mrs. Surratt just then came out of her bed-room, I said, "What do you 
think, Mrs, Surratt--Abraham Lincoln has been murdered." I did not say 
Abraham Lincoln, I said, "President Lincoln has been murdered by John 
Wilkes Booth, and the Secretary of State has been assassinated." I did 
not bring her own son's name out, from respect to her feelings. She 
raised her hands and exclaimed: "My God, Mr. Weichmann, you don't tell 
me so!" She seemed astonisht at the news. At this-time Miss Surratt 
and Mis's Jenkins were not down stairs. 

Q. Did they come down afterwards? A. After the detectives had gone 
they came into the parlor; I was there. Miss Jenkins was there. Miss 
Fitzpatrick Was there. Miss Surratt and Mrs. Surratt were there, 

Q. What did Mrs. Surratt then say? A, The talk was about the murder; 
every one in the room had been told that Booth had done it; Anna Surratt 
commenced to weep and said: "Oh, ma, all this will bring suspicion on 
our house; just think of that man" (we were speaking about Booth at the 
time) "having been here an hour before tha murder!" "Anna, come what 
will," she replied, "I think John Wilkes Booth was only an instrument in 
the hands of the Almighty to punish this proud and licentious people." 

Q. Did you see the man whose footsteps you have mentioned? A. No, 
sir; I was in the kitchen at the time; the kitchen was down stairs, and 
it was simply impossible for me to see him. 

Q. What do you call the kitchen? A. The front basement room, 

Q. Was it the kitchen or dining-room. A, The dining-room; we always 
took our supper in the dining-room and not in the kitchen, there are two 
rooms in the basement, the front room is the dining-room, -in the rear is 
the kitchen. 

Q. What further occurred? A. I returned to my room and did not see 
Mrs, Surratt again till morning. 


27 



74 


Q. What occurred on the morning of the 15th? A. Nothing in particu¬ 
lar; I do not think I have any more evidence on that point; I was at 
breakfast''on that morning. 

Q. Was she at the table? A. Yes, sir. 

S. You did not see John there that night? A. No, sir; I said to Mrs. 
Surratt anci tlr. Holahan at the table that I had my suspicions about this 
business, and I was going to the government and state my suspicions 
about it; state whom I had ever seen in Booth’s company and do all I 
could to bring these parties to justice. 

Q. Did you go to the government? 

Objected to by Mr. Bradley. 

The COURT: He may state whether he gave information to the government, 
but not detail any conversation he had. 

WITNESS: I went to Superintendent Richards's headquarters. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: You need not go into particulars; I simply want to 
know if you did go and give information. 

Q. You stated that Mr. Holahan was in the house when you went out to 
give information to the government; what did you or Mr. Holahan or McDe- 
vitt or any of these parties do? A. Mr. Holahan was with me when I 
went to the Metropolitan Police headquarters and stated what he knew to 
McDevitt; we went to the lower portion of Maryland that day. 

Q. Who went? A. McDevitt, Bigley, Clarvoe, Mr. Holahan, myself, and 
others. 

Q. Where did you go to? A. We first went to Mrs. Herold's house. 

Q. What day was that? A. That was the 15th. 

Q. At what time of day did you reach Mrs. Herold's house? A. That 
morning I had met the stable-keeper from whom a horse had been hired the 
previous night. 

Mr. Bradley said he hoped the witness would be required to answer the 
question and not go off on collateral matters. 

WITNESS: I went with McDevitt to Mrs. Herold's house; we askt Mrs. 

Herold where her son was. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Where is Mrs. Herold's house? A. It is at the Navy 
Yard; I ascertained from Dr. Walsh where the house was; I did not know 
myself. 

Q. From Mrs. Herold's house did you go to the stable you have spoken 
of, or did you go before? A. It was before. 

Q. What occurred at the stable? A. I met a man by the name of Flet¬ 
cher . 

Mr. BRADLEY: Do not state anything Fletcher said. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Did you make any inquiry there about a horse? A. I 
did; I askt Fletcher to give a description of the party who had hired a 
horse from him. 

Q. Did he give you a reply to that question? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. What time in the day did you get back to the house after you had 
been at Mrs. Herold's? A. We went to the lower part of Maryland; I was 
never at Mrs. Surratt's house after I took breakfast there that morning. 

q. You went into what portion of Maryland? A. We went away down as 
far as Piscataway. 

Q. How long did you stay there? A. We returned in the evening and 

20 



75 


nearcht the Pennsylvania House, where Atzerodt had been stopping; this 
was on the evening of the 15th. 

Q, Next morning where were you? A. It was then suspected that Atze¬ 
rodt had gone to Baltimore. 

Mr. Bradley requested that the witness be instructed to answer ques¬ 
tions . 

The Court so instructed the witness. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Did you go to Baltimore? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. For what? A. To see if Atzerodt was there. 

Q. Who went? A. Mr. Holahan, Mr. Clarvoe, Mr. McDevitt, and myself. 

Q. When did you, Holahan, Clarvoe, and McDevitt go to Baltimore in 

search of Atzerodt? A. Sunday, the 16th of April. 

Q. How long did you stay there? A. I staid until the following Mon¬ 
day morning, and reacht here about six o'clock on the 17th of April, Mon¬ 
day. I took an early train, I believe the half-past-four train, from 
Baltimore. 

Q. How long did you stay here? A. Until that afternoon, at three o'¬ 
clock. On Monday afternoon, the 17th, at three o'clock, we started for 
Canada in pursuit of John H. Surratt. 

Q. Who went? A. Mr. Bigley, Mr. McDevitt, Mr. Holahan, and myself. 

Clarvoe also, and Mr. Reese, or Neese, I forget the name, started with 
us. Clarvoe did not go to Canada. 

Q. Where did you go to on that afternoon of the 17th? A. We reacht 
Philadelphia about eleven o'clock. 

Q. Did Clarvoe go on to Philadelphia with you? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. Did he leave you there on the way? 

This course of examination objected to by Mr. Bradley as leading. 

Mr. Pierrepont said that if he allowed the witness to go on his own 
way counsel found fault that he went into collateral matters; he was now 
trying to keep him to the point. 

WITNESS: Clarvoe there arrested a man by name of Celestina. 

Q. Did Clarvoe or not go on with you? A. He returned to Washington 
that night. 

Q. Who went on to New York? A. Neese, Bigley, Holahan, McDevitt, 
and myself. 

Q. What time did you get to New York? A. We reacht New York on the 
morning of the 19th of April. 

Q. What day of the week? A. That was Wednesday. 

Q. Where did you stop? A. We did not stop at any place; we immedi¬ 
ately took a car. 

Q. Where did you take breakfast? A. We got our breakfast at a hotel; 
I do not remember the name of it. 

Q. What time did you take the cars? A. We took the cars that morn- 
ing at six o'clock. 

Q. For what point? A. We took the Hudson River road for Montreal, 
Canada,leaving New York on the morning of the 19th. We traveled all 
that day and reacht Burlington, Vermont, on the evening of the 19th. 

a. Where did you go after you got to Burlington on the evening of the 
19th? A. We registered false names at the American Hotel, Burlington, 
Vermont, and left the next morning. 

29 



76 


Q. State the false names which you entered? A. I was Mr. Thompson. 

Q. What name did Holahan enter? A. That I do not remember. 

Q. Do you remember any of the other false names? A. Bigley was Por¬ 
ter . 

Q. Do you remember the name McDevitt entered? A. No, sir, I do not 
remember his nor Holahan's.' 

Q. Now, can you tell the false names each entered by referring to 
this register? (Register produced.) A. No, sir; I do not recognize my 
handwriting there. We staid there all night. I do not know of my own 
knowledge that it was the American House. I inquired the other day what 
the name of the white building was, and they told me it ijas the American 
House. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Inquired of whom? A. A gentleman by the name of Blinn. 
Mr. PIERREPONT: After you registered your names there what did you do? 
A. We staid there that night, and the next morning started for Montreal, 
reaching there about noon. We registered our names at Burlington on the 
evening of the 19th, and left for Montreal on the 20th. 

Q. Did you sleep at the hotel on the night of the 19th? A. We slept 
at a hotel, and on the next morning started. 

Q. Give a description o^ the building you slept in. A. It was a 
square white building. 

Q. You*say you did not I'now the name then? A. I do not remember the 
name now of my own knowledge. 

Q. What time on the morning of the 20th did you leave the hotel? A. 

We took the cars I suppose that morning between five and seven o'clock. 

Q. Did you all leave together? A. We left together, 
ft. Where did you go that day, the 20th? A. We went to Montreal, 
ft. How long did you stay in Montreal? A. I do not know whether I 
left there that afternoon or the next evening for ftuebec with Mr. Bigley. 
ft. Did anybody else go with you to ftuebec? A. No, sir. 
ft. Where did you leave Holahan and McDevitt? A. At Montreal, 
ft. At what house, do you remember? A. I do not remember the name of 
the hotel now. It is one of the small hotels in Montreal. I think it 
was the St. James. We stopt at the Ottawa House for half the day. 

ft. From ftuebec where did you go? A. We returned direct to Montreal, 
ft. From there where did you go? A. Then we returned to the United 
States. 

ft. When did you get back? A. We reacht Washington about noon on the 
29th of April. 

ft. Who reacht Washington with you? A. Mr. Holahan, Mr. Bigley, and 
McDevitt. In New York on our return v/e met Superintendent Richards, and 
he came on to Washington with us. 

ft. You have stated that on the evening of the murder there was a col¬ 
ored woman in the house by name of Susan; when did she come there, if 
you know? A. To the best of my knowledge Susan had been there only 
about three weeks before the murder. 

ft. After the murder were there any clothes of yours left there to 
wash? A. No, sir. I always gave ray washing in Monday or Tuesday. 

ft. You gave in no washing to be done, then, after the previous Tues¬ 
day? 


50 



77 


Mr. BRADLEY: I cannot really see the hearing of where the witness had 
his washing done. 

Mr. PIERREPONT; You will, perhaps, see before you are a great deal 
older. 

The COURT inquired what relevancy the testimony had? 

Mr. PIERREPONT replied he proposed to show that the washing left was 
John Surratt's. 

ft. Did you leave any clothes to be washt that week after Monday or 
Tuesday? A. No, sir. 

ft. After Susan came there who did your washing? A. Susan did my 
washing for only three weeks. 

ft. Before that who did it? A. The colored servant, whoever was 
there before. 

ft. State how long you had had it done at the house. A. About four 
months. 

ft. Did you have it done by Susan Jackson four months? A. No, sir; 
if I said so it was a mistake. 

ft. Were you at Mrs. Surratt's house on the 16th of March, 1865? A. 
Yes, sir. 

ft. Will you tell what men came into the house that night and what hap¬ 
pened? A. That afternoon I had returned from my work and on going to 
the attic, where the day previous-- 

Mr. BRADLEY: Don't go into that; just answer the questions askt. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: 

ft. Whom did you see there? A. I saw Payne, Booth, and John Surratt, 
come into the room about half past six in the evening. 

ft. State how they were drest or armed, if they were armed? A. Sur¬ 
ratt was the one who came in first, as I was sitting there. He had his 
pants in his boots. He was much excited, and had one of these four-bar¬ 
reled Sharp revolvers in his hand; one of these little square four-bar¬ 
reled pistols that you could easily put in a vest pocket. I askt Sur¬ 
ratt what was the matter. He leveled his pistol at me and said: "My 
prospects are gone; my hopes are blighted; I want something to do; can 
you get me a clerkship?" I told him he was foolish; that he ought to 
settle down and be a sensible young man. 

ft. State the degree of excitement? A. He was very much excited. I 
cannot remember the degree now. 

ft. These other men, what did they do and what happened? A. In about 
ten minutes after Payne came into the room. He too was very much exci¬ 
ted; his face was red with excitement. 

ft. How was he drest? A. He was drest in the same gray clothes he 
wore on his second visit to Mrs. Surratt. Raising his vest, I noticed 
that he had a pistol on his hip. 

ft. Did Booth come in? A. About fifteen minutes after Booth came in. 

ft. State how he was drest? A. In his usual mode--dark clothes, he 
had a riding whip in his hand and walkt round the room two or three 
times. He did not at first notice me; I called his attention and he 
said: "Halloo! You here? I did not see you." 

ft. Did you see any arms on him? A. No, sir. The threfe then went up 


31 





78 


etairs into the back attic where Payne had his room at that time, and 
were there, to the best of my knowledge, about thirty minutes. 

Q. What did they do then? A. They all left the house together, 

Q. Who left the house? A. Payne, Surratt, and Booth, 

Q. When did you next see Surratt? A. I saw him the same evening, 
and askt him where Payne had gone, and where Booth had gone. 

Q. What did he say? A. He said that Payne had gone to Baltimore, 
and that Booth had gone to New York. 

Q. Will you not tell the jury the manner of these men? A. They were 
all very excited. Booth was so excited that he was white with excite¬ 
ment. Payne was a different temperament; he was very red. 

Q. Two days after this did you see anything of these men, if so state 
it? A. I went to the theater two days*afterwards, when Booth played 
Pescara, the Apostate. On leaving the theater, Herold, Atzerodt, Ur. Ho- 
lahan, Surratt, and myself, came out all together. Mr, Holahan, Surratt, 
and I went as far as the corner of Tenth and E streets. Surratt then 
turned around and saw that Atzerodt and Herold were not following us. 

He directed me, being more intimate with me than with Mr. Holahan to go 
back and tell Herold and Atzerodt to come to Kloman's saloon, on Seventh 
street, and partake of an oyster supper with them, 

Q, Did you do so? A. I went to the saloon right adjoining the thea¬ 
ter. As I came in I saw Booth, Herold, and Atzerodt talking very confi¬ 
dentially and very friendly together, near the stove. When I approacht 
them Booth came forward and said: "Mr. Weichmann, won't you come and 
take a drink." I, of course, consented; I took a glass of ale with 
Booth, Herold, and Atzerodt. 

Q. Then what followed? A, Then the three went aside again and had a 
little conversation; then Herold, Atzerodt, and myself left and joined 
Surratt amd Mr. Holahan near Eighth and E streets, and went and ate our 
oyster supper at Kloman's. The whole party consisted of Surratt, Hola¬ 
han, Herold, Atzerodt, and myself. 

Q. Was Booth there? A. No, sir; Booth was not, 

Q, How often was Booth at Mrs, Surratt's house two or three months 
prior to the murder? A. He came very frequently. It was a very common 
thing for me to see him in the parlor with Surratt, when Booth was in 
town after four o'clock. They appeared like brothers. 

Q. Was there any term by which Booth was called? A. Mrs. Surratt 
appeared to like him very much, 

Q, What term did she use in speaking of him? A. I heard*her once 
when Booth had stayed two or three hours in the parlor call him "Pet," 
saying, "Pet stayed two or three hours in the parlor last evening." I 
am positive she used the word "Pet." She named the hours from ten at 
night until one in the morning. 

Q. What was the character of hie intimacy there? A. I think he was 
nothing more than a friend. 

Q. State the character of his intimacy, 

Mr. MERRICK: Can that question be askt. 

The COURT: It is rather vague in its character. 

Mr. PIERREPONT said his desire was to avoid a leading question, and 
his object to find out whether Booth was very intimate there. 

ZZ 



Mr, BRADLEY said facts could be stated. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Please state the facts in regard to his intimacy? A, 
He was just as intimate there as I was. 

Q. Take that telegram (telegram exhibited to witness) and state if 
you know in whose handwriting it is? A. I know the handwriting. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Before you state in whose handwriting it is I want to 
ask you two or three questions. What means have you of knowing the hand¬ 
writing of that telegram? A, In the first place the handwriting corre¬ 
sponds exactly in style and character with a telegram I received from 
Booth, He makes his B's in the same way, and his e's in the same way, 
more like i's. 

The COURT; State whether you have seen that person write. A. I have 
seen Booth write; I have had his autograph in my possession for weeks. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Have you got his autograph now? A, No, sir; I don't 

care about having his autograph in my possession now. 

Q. How do you know it was his autograph? A. I saw him write it. 

Q. When and where? A. I saw him write some time in April. 

The COURT: The proper way to lay tho foundation for identifying writ¬ 
ing is to ask the witness if he has ever seen the party write. 

By Mr. PIERREPONT: 

Q. Have you seen this person write? A. I have. 

Q, Have you received notes and cards from Booth? A. Booth gave me 
his autograph, 

Q. Have you received a telegram from Booth? A. I received a tele¬ 
gram on the 23d of March. 

Q. Do you know Booth's handwriting? A. Yes, sir. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I now offer to prove by this witness the handwriting 
of this telegram. 

Wr. BRADLEY said that he desired to take an exception to this ruling-- 
he was not permitted to cross-examine the witness--as to his ability to 
identify the handwriting. 

The COURT said that counsel could cross-examine in the usual way; this 
was not the time to cross-examine. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: What do you say as to the handwriting of this tele¬ 
gram? A. It is Booth's handwriting, 

Mr. PIERREPONT then placed in evidence the following telegram. 

"NEW YORK, March 13, 1864, 

"To Mr. McLaughlin, No. 57 North Exeter street, Baltimore. Md.: 

"Don't you fear to neglect your business. You had better come at once. 

"J. BOOTH." 

Mr. PIERREPONT explained that the telegram was written on a printed 
blank, markt 1864, but on the back of it was an indorsement 1865, and he 
had no doubt 1865 was the proper date. 

By Mr. PIERREPONT: Now look at this telegram and (another telegram ex¬ 
hibited) state in whose handwriting it is? A. That is Booth's handwrit¬ 
ing, 

Mr, PIERREPONT, after making the same explanation as to date being 
1865 instead of 1864, read and placed in evidence the following telegram: 




8o 


"NEW YORK, March 27, 1864. 

"To Mr. McLaughlin, No. 59 North Exeter street, Baltimore, Md,: 

"Get word to Sam. to come on. With or without him, Wednesday morning 
we sell--that day, sure. Don't fail. 

"J. WILKES BOOTH. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Look at the letter now shown you (letter exhibite'd to 
witness) and state in whose handwriting it is? A. It is in my handwrit¬ 
ing . 

ft. Is it the one you spoke of in the testimony? A. Yes, sir; it is 
one I wrote for Mrs. Surratt on the 14th of April. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Read it. 

Witness read the letter as follows: 

"SURRATTSVILLS, MARYLAND, April 14, 1865. 

"Mr. John Nothey: 

"Sir: I have this day received a letter from Mr. Calvert, intimating 

that either you or your friends have represented to him that I am not 
willing to settle with you for the land. You know that I am ready and 
have been waiting for the last two years, and now if you do not come 
within the next ten days I will settle with Mr. Calvert and bring suit 
against you immediately. Mr. Calvert will give you a deed on receiving 
payment. 

"M. E. SURRATT, 

"Administratrix of J. H. Surratt." 

Mr. BRADLEY: Was it signed by Mrs. Surratt or by you? A. By me. 

By Mr. PIERREPONT. 

ft. By whose direction did you sign it? A. Mrs. Surratt's. 

ft. Where was it written? A. In the parlor of Mrs. Surratt's house 
at Surrattsvilie. I addrest the envelop there. 

By a JUROR: 

ft. Did I understand you that you signed her name to it? A. Yes; she 
told me to sign her name; she said it did not make any difference. 

Mr. PIERREPONT offered to put in evidence all the contents of the di¬ 
ary taken from the body of J. Wilkes Booth. 

Mr. BRADLEY said they had not been identified. 

Mr. PIERREPONT said he was under the impression they were identified 
by the witness Conger; if not, he would withold them for the present. 

ft. Look at the entries in the book now shown you (diary taken from 
the body of J. Wilkes Booth) and say in whose handwriting they are? A. 

I recognize them as Booth's handwriting. 

ft. Look also at the leaf in it (letter to Dr. Stewart) and say in 
whose handwriting that is? A. I recognize both the diary and leaf as 
in Booth's handwriting; it is a smaller hand than he generally wrote-- 
such as he would write in pencil. 

Mr. PIERREPONT then offered the diary in evidence. 

The letter referred to was also placed in evidence, and is as follows: 

34 

( ( 

(. < f 



8i 


"My Dea--[piece torn out,] forgive me, but I have some little pride, 

I cannot blame you for want of hospitality. You know your own affairs, 

I was sick, tired, with a bro,ken limb, and in need of medical advice, I 
would not have turned a dog from my door in such a plight. However, you 
were kind enough to give us something to eat, for which I not only thank 
you; but on account of the rebuke and manner in which, to--[piece torn 
out.] It is not the substance, but the way in which kindness is extend¬ 
ed, that makes one happy in the acceptance thereof. The sauce to meat 
is ceremony. Meeting were bare without it. Be kind enough to accept 
the enclosed $5 (although hard to spare) for what I have rec'd, 

"Most respectfully, your obedient servant," 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Look at this card and see if you know this handwrit¬ 
ing, (Card shown to witness.) A. That is in the handwriting of John H. 
Surratt. 

The card being one identified by the witness Dawson as having fallen 
from the vest pocket of Booth, was read and placed in evidence as fol¬ 
lows: 

"J. Harrison Surratt: I tried to get leave, but could not succeed." 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Have you had any experience in writing yourself--! 
mean beyond the ordinary experience? A. Yes, sir. 

Q. What can you write? A, I write shorthand; I write the German al¬ 
phabet. I have had a great deal of experience in comparing letters, and 
in reading letters hard to decipher. I taught writing for about sixteen 
months at school. 

Q. How long were you employed at the War Department? A. From the 
ninth of January, 1864, till the 14th of April, 1865. 

Q. Do you know whether there is a difference in people in their capac¬ 
ity to detect forgery? 

Question objected to by Mr. Merrick. 

Mr. PIERREPONT stated there were experts on various subjects. His ob¬ 
ject was to show, as the law required before offering evidence, that 
there were such things as experts on the subject in question. 

The COURT said the question could be askt witness, what experience he 
has had to show that he is or is not an expert. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I will ask that question. 

WITNESS: In 1866 I was reporting a trial in Philadelphia. Three let¬ 
ters were submitted to me which had been found in the west. The letters 
were in different kinds of handwriting. 

Mr. BRADLEY: We object to this. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Very well, I will not ask for any more experience if 
gentlemen do not want it. (To witness.) I want you to take this letter 
(letter known as the Charles Selby letter) and examine it. 

WITNESS: The handwriting appears to me to be evidently disguised. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Do you think that is written in the natural hand? A. 
No, sir; the letters are all disjointed. 

Q. What is your opinion as to its being a disguised hand? A. It is 
my opinion it is a disguised hand. 

The court here took a recess for half an hour, 

35 . 





82 


AFTERMOON SESSION. 

LOUIS J. WEICHMANN: Examination resumed. 

Upon reassembling Mr. Pierrepont stated that he had in his possession 
two letters which he had omitted to show the witness when he was before 
on the stand, and he now proposed to hand them to him, and ask him in 
whose handwriting they were. The two letters were then exhibited to the 
witness. 

By Mr. PIERREPONT: Will you state in whose handwriting they are? A. 
This one (letter dated Surrattsvilie, November 12, 1864) is in Surratt's 
handwriting. This one (dated September 21, 1864) is also in Surratt's 
handwriting. He wrote two hands. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I am simply asking you if they are both in Surratt's 
handwriting? A. Yes, sir. I will state that I did not receive the 
letter I first examined at all. The second one (one dated September 21, 
1864) I did receive, and it is the last one I ever did receive from Sur¬ 
ratt. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I now propose to read these le'tters. 

Mr. BRADLEY: I object. I desire, your honor, first to see the let¬ 
ters, and then I will proceed to state the grounds of my objection. 

The letters were then handed to the court and read by him, when 

Mr. BRADLEY: I do not propose to argue the question, if your honor 
please, but I rather think that this is the first time in the history of 
criminal jurisprudence in this country, since the case of Algernon Sid¬ 
ney, where a paper or the draft of a paper found in the possession of 
the defendant, and never out of his possession until taken from him by 
the government, has been offered or sought to be offered in evidence in 
a court of justice. This first letter the witness acknowledges was nev¬ 
er received by him. It was found in possession of the defendant, and 
was never out of his possession until taken by the government. Can it, 
then, sir, be introduced here? As to the second paper--the one dated 
September 21--I am not conscious of any possible bearing it can have up¬ 
on the issue in this case. It is wholly immaterial; has no reference 
whatever to any matter in controversy, and is therefore not admissable 
on that ground. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: If your honor please, if the counsel had not stated 
what he did with so much apparent confidence it would have surprised me. 
The counsel thinks this is the first time that a paper obtained under 
the circumstances this was has ever been sought to be introduced as evi¬ 
dence in a court of justice since the case of Algernon Sidney. I must 
say that this is the first time in the history of criminal jurisprudence 
when I have known it to be held that upon the seizure of a criminal a pa¬ 
per found in his possession which tends to throw any light whatever upon 
the crime with which he stands charged, whether such paper be written by 
himself or not, cannot be given in evidence. 

Mr. BRADLEY: I did not make that point. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I thought that was the point. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Then you misunderstood me. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Let me hear what it was. 

: 


< 




83 


Mr. BRADLEY: I stated that it was sought to introduce here a paper 
that had never been publisht by the party, that had been written long be¬ 
fore any overt act was committed, if any ever was committed, and that 
had never been out of the possession of the defendant, and that such an 
offer was altogether improper and should not be entertained. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: The objection to the reception of this paper, ae I un¬ 
derstand it, is that it was found with the defendant's papers, I claim 
that it was found with the defendant's papers, and hold that that is one 
of the strongest reasons why it is good evidence in this cause. In il¬ 
lustration I will refer to a case with which I think my learned friend 
is quite familiar. It was the case of a murder which had been committed 
in England, where no clue to the murderer could be found. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Give us the name of the case. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I cannot recall the name. 

Mr. BRADLEY: There are so many murder cases in England that it is 
difficult to rqmember them all. 

( Mr. PIERREPONT: I think you will call to mind the case when I state 
the facts. I think you will find it cited in Chief Justice Shaw's opin¬ 
ion in the Webster case, 5th Cushing, if I am not mistaken. As I said, 
during the investigation no clue to the guilty party could be found. Fi¬ 
nally, in the vest pocket of a man who was suspected was found a piece 
of paper on which was some writing. It was discovered that the wad 
which had been set on fire and had fallen from the gun, or was found in 
the wound or clothes, I believe, of the man who was shot, appeared to 
have been torn from this written paper that was found in the pocket of 
the suspected man. This evidence in regard to the paper and the wad was 
admitted; on that evidence the jury found him guilty, and on that evi“ 
dence he was hanged. 

Mr. BRADLEY: I do not dissent from that. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Anything that is found in the possession of a man ac¬ 
cused of a great crime, when he is arrested, that has any tendency to 
throw light upon the subject, however near or however remote, is evi¬ 
dence to go to the jury for them to weigh and consider whether it has 
any bearing upon the case or not. 

Mr. BRADLEY: I do not wish to reply; I, of course, reserve my right 
to except. 

Mr. MERRICK: If your honor will allow me a single word. I merely 
wish to state that I see a very wide difference between the case at bar 
and the case put by the learned counsel on the other side. In the case 
put by the learned counsel on the other side, a THING is found in the 
possession of the defendant, which THING is shown to be the counterpart 
of another THING used in the murder. The counterpart of the THING is 
that THING which bears relation to the principal, wherein the difference 
makes them identical. The counterpart of the THING used in the murder 
was still in the possession of the prisoner, and as a THING it was of¬ 
fered in evidence to show the identity of the two articles, and the con¬ 
nection of the prisoner with the murder. Here, however, it is not pro¬ 
posed to use the THING found in the possession of the prisoner, but the 
THOUGHT found in his possession. If this letter found in the possession 


?7 



84 


of the prisoner was the counterpart of any other letter or paper found 
connected with the perpetration of the crime, for which the party is in¬ 
dicted, it would certainly be admissable; but it isn't proposed to use 
it as the material substance, but as the thought of the prisoner; and as 
long as the writing is still in his possession, the thought is unuttered, 
and it is not competent to be put in evidence. And, as my learned broth¬ 
er says, that was the great question which arose in Sydney's case, and 
was disregarded in that case, which resulted in a judicial murder, but 
was afterwards permanently establisht in the English law--that you could 
not determine handwriting by comparison; and that unspoken treason was 
not treason, although the document was written, and in possession of the 
party and treasonable in its character, yet being unspoken was not com¬ 
petent to go in evidence, for the reason that until thought is publisht 
it is not thought; it is no act. And so here. This letter being still 
in the possession of the defendant when taken by the government, is a 
thought unspoken, which the government cannot produce as the spoken 
thought of the party. I think your honor will perceive that the differ¬ 
ence between the case put by the learned gentleman and the case at bar 
is very great. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I will only say that I do not want any "thought." It 
is the "thing" I am after. 

Mr. MERRICK: Then I do not know what you want to read the letters for. 

Mr. PIERREPONT; I repeat, I do not care anything about the "thought," 

I am after the fact. 

Mr. BRADLEY: What is the "fact." 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I want this letter--this letter just as it is. 

The COURT: I shall let the letter in. 

Mr. BRADLEY reserved an exception. 

The letter was then read as follows: 

"SURRATTSVILLE, November 12, 1864. 

"DEAR AL.: Sorry I could not get up. Will be up on Sunday. Hope you 
are getting along well. How are timee--all the pretty girls? My most 
pious regards to the latter; as for the former, I have not a continental 
d--n. Have you been to the fair? If so, what have we now? I'm inter¬ 
ested in the 'bedstead.' How's Kennedy? Tight as usual, I suppose. 
Opened his office, I hear. Fifty to one 'tis a failure. Am very happy 
I do not belong to the 'firm.' Been busy all the week taking care of 
and securing the crops. Next Tuesday and the jig's up. Good by, Sur- 
rattsville. Good-by, God-forsaken country. Old Abe, the good old soul, 
may the devil take pity on him. 

"SURRATTSVILLE, MD. 


"Test: 


"To LOUIS J. WEICHMANN, Esq, 


Washington city, D. C." 
38 


JOHN H. SURRATT 



85 


Attacht to this is the following certificate: 

"OFFICE OF THE PROVOST MARSHAL AND BOARD OF 

ENROLMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 

"Washington, May 10, 1865. 

"The paper was given to Lieutenant Samuel K. Brown, V. R. C., depart¬ 
ment provost marshal, D, C., by Special Officer George Cottingham, of my 
force, who obtained it from the bartender of Lloyd at Surrattsvilie on 
the evening of April 28, 1865. Cottingham's statement is herewith ap¬ 
pended. 


"JAMES R. O'BEIRNE, 

Major 22d Regiment V. R. C., Provost Marshal, D. C." 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I now desire to have the jury see this writing for an¬ 
other reason connected with this letter. 

Mr. BRADLEY: We have heard this letter read your honor, and if it is 
proposed to exhibit it to the jury for the purpose of having them insti¬ 
tute a comparison of the handwriting, as I understand it to be, I object. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: I have not yet made such a suggestion. Your honor 
has seen the difference in the handwriting of this same letter, and that 
is what I desire'to have the jury see. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Difference in the handwriting? 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Yes, sir. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Your witness says it is all the same handwriting. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Written by the same man. 

Mr, BRADLEY: Does your honor rule that it can be shown to the jury. 

The COURT: I see no reason why it should be kept from them. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Very well, sir; I desire to reserve an exception. 

The letter was here handed to the jury, when 

Mr. PIERREPONT said: If the jury will look at the body of the letter 
and then at the bottom, they will see a difference in the handwriting. 

The letter dated September 21 was then read, and afterwards handed to 
the jury for inspection. To the admission and exhibition of this letter 
to the jury Mr. Bradley also reserved an exception. The letter is as 
follows: 


"SURRATTSVILLE, MD., September 21. 

"LOUIS J. WEICHMANN, Washington, D. C. 

"DEAR FRIEND: John Surratt is neither dead nor drafted, though he ran 
the gantlet of both. I am just able to walk but a little, yet very weak. 
I have had the chills and fever pretty severely. In hopes I have entire¬ 
ly escaped, I shall be in Washington as soon as possible. I intend to 
stay up a few days in order to recuperate. Possibly we may come up soon¬ 
er than we anticipate, on account of certain events having turned up. I 
am quite sorry Miss Estelle has gone to Philadelphia. There is no at¬ 
traction there now for me. Mies Fannie and I were getting on a fair 
road to a flirtation when she bundled up bag and baggage and left for 
Washington. She says 'she is glad Mrs. Surratt intends moving to town,' 

39 






86 


All right. We will see. Write soon and tell me all the news. Nothing 
would give me greater satisfaction than to write a long letter. I am 
very happy to state that I escaped the draft. I sincerely hope you may 
do the same. Family all well and send respects to you. Yours, as ever, 

"J. HARRISON SURRATT." 


Mr. PIERREPONT: Did you receive that? A. I did. It was the last 
one I ever did receive from him. 

Q. Did you hear anything said by Mrs. Surratt or John about a cotton 
or "ile" speculation? A. Yes, sir. Shortly after Surratt's introduc¬ 
tion to Booth, Surratt told me that he was going to Europe--that he was 
engaged in cotton speculations. He stated this in the presence of his 
sister. He said that $3,000 had been advanced to him by some elderly 
gentleman residing in the neighborhood--and that he was going to Liver¬ 
pool, from Liverpool to Nassau, and thence to Matamoras, in Mexico, to 
find his brother Isaac. He was in the habit of stating that very fre¬ 
quently. 

Mr. BRADLEY: Was in the habit of stating all this, or what? A. He 
stated the whole of what I have just said. At another time he said he 
was engaged in the oil business--that he had six shares of oil stock. 
Once he even approacht me and askt me if I would not write an article 
for the newspaper to the effect that John Wilkes Booth, the accomplisht 
actor, in consequence of having erysipelas in his leg, had retired from 
the stage and was engaged in the oil business. He stated that Booth had 
made quite a fortune, and had presented hie sister with the money he had 
made out of the oil. 

Mr. PIERREPONT: Whose sister? A. His own sister. 

Q. Booth's sister? A. Yes, sir. He wanted me to give him a puff, 
but I refused. 

q. Did he state in what paper he wanted you to put the article? A. 

No, sir. He said he simply wanted me to write the article; that he 
would have it publisht. 

Q. Did he name the paper? A. No, sir. 

Q, In this first letter the handwriting at the bottom is very differ¬ 
ent from that in the body of the letter; will you state which hand Sur¬ 
ratt usually wrote? A. He usually wrote the hand at the bottom of it. 

Q. The smaller one? A. Yes, sir. The top hand is a back hand, or 
hand that he wrote by putting his pen between his first and second fin¬ 
gers. ■ 

Q. The body of the letter is not in his ordinary hand? A. No, sir, 

Q. You have spoken of places that you went to on your way to Canada. 

I want the jury to get an idea of the position of those places. Will 
you point out on that map the position of the different places you went 
to after leaving New York, on your way to Canada? 

Witness did as requested. 




THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF SHORTHAND. 


CATALOG OF 

Phonographic Works 

BY 

BENN PITMAN and JEROME B. HOWARD. 

PUBLISHT BY 

THE PHONOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE COMPANY, 

CINCINNATI, O. 


The Standard System in American Short¬ 
hand Practise. 

In March, 1907, a complete census was made ofOliie shorthand 
clerks in the offices of the United States Governmeirif at Washington. 
These reports, duly signed by the chief clerksa of the several depart¬ 
ments of the United States Government, .^iiiow that out of a total of 
1579 shorthand clerks employed in thee departmental offices 796 are 
writers of the Benn Pitman system. The proportionate use of other 
systems is shown as follows : 


( Benn Pitman, 
j 796 writers, 50.49^ 


Graham., ’242 writers, 15.3 9^. 

■m Munson, 86 wrh^ters, 5.4 9^. 

Isaac Pitman, 6/7 writers, 4.29^. 

■■n Gregg, 66 \^riters, 4. i cJq. 

■n Cross, 45 yX^riters, 2.8 9^,. 

B Barnes., 25 writers, 1.59^* 

B Pemin, 25 writers, l-S^/o' 

All others (totaling 14.S 9^^), less than i (fo each. 

} A table showing the complete details of tins census will be sent 
or 1 request to any address. 





IJidy /, igog.’x 


Instruction Books. 


The Phonographic Amanuensis. A presentation of Pitman 
Phonography, More Especially Adapted to the Use of Business and 
other Schools Devoted to the Instruction and Training of Shorthand 
Amanuenses. By Jerome B. Howard. With a Prefatory Note 
by Benn Pitman. In this book position-writing and the principles 
of abbreviation are taught concurrently with the elements of the 
system. It consists of fifty-nine carefully-graded lessons, each de¬ 
signed to constitute the work of a single school-day. Outlines of 
w'ords are given in the first lesson ; sentences are given in the eighth 
lesson ; phrases appear in the fifteenth lesson ; business letters are 
written in the twenty-second and subsequent lessons. Cloth. $i oc> 


A7namiensis \% also issued in a special “correspondence edition” for 
the use of teachers who give instruction by mail. This edition is identi¬ 
cal with the regular edition, except in the matter of physical make-up. 
Each lesson is printed as a separate part, and the parts are placed in a 
convenient box, from which the teacher can remove any desired part 
without disturbing the others. The price of the correspondence edition 
is the same as that of the regular edition. In ordering, always mention 
expressly the “correspondence edition.” 


Progressive Dictation Exercises. Designed to Accompany The 
Phonographic Amanuensis. By Jerome B. Howard. Furnishes 
roginected matter that can be read as dictation practise to the learner 
‘^'1 .stages of his advancement—from the earliest lessons to the end 

ofthetext-L'<?gk- ..v,-.A-.T- 

Business Letters *- - i. - Miscellaneous Correspondence. 

Written in the Amanu^^^^is St)de of Phonography By Benn Pitman 
and Terome B. Howar..^-. The letters have been selected from 
actual correspondence in various branches of business,_ and being 
free from difficult technicalities, are such as will furnish the best 
practise for young students of shou^hand who are ready to begin fit¬ 
ting themselves for the duties of th.^ shorthand correspondent or 
business amanuensis. With key prin.^ed in facsimile typewriting, 
furnishing correct models for the transcripu'^n of the student s notes 

on the typewriter. Paper.;•.q.•••••, ^5 

Business Letters. No. 2.—Railroad Corres pondence. Mritten 
in the Amanuensis Style of Phonography. Consii Jts of letters actually 
used in various departments of railroad work. facsimile type¬ 
writing. Paper..... ^5 

Business Letters. No. 3.—Classified Correspono’ence. Written 
in the Amanuensis Style of Phonography. Consists oT letters used 
in the following lines of business : Hardware, Railroad, Grain and 
Milling, Real Estate, Banking, Explosives, Glass. Key in facsimile 

typewriting. Paper..., ^5 

Business Letters. No. 4.—Insurance Correspondence. Written 
in the Amanuensis Style of Phonography. Consists of fire, life, and 
marine insurance letters. Key in facsimile typewriting. Paper. 'S 


2 







Business Letters. No. 5.—Classified Correspondence. Written 
in the Amanuensis Style of Phonography. Consists of letters used 
in the following lines of business : Electrical Machinery, Coal Mining, 
Interurban Railway, Law Correspondence, Crackers and Biscuit, 
Cotton Spinning, Cotton Commission. Key in facsimile typewriting. 
Paper.$0 25 

Legal Forms. Written in the Amanuensis Style of Phonography. 
Comprises forms for deeds, mortgages, contracts, acknowledgments, 
and a variety of other indentures. With Key in facsimile typewriting 
showing correct modes of transcription. Paper. 25 

The Manual of Phonography. By Benn Pitman and Jerome B. 
Howard. Designed for iubtruction in Schools, Academies, etc., as 
well as for self-instruction, in the art of Shorthand Writing. It con¬ 
tains a complete exposition of the system, from its simplest principles 
to the Amanuensis Style, arranged in alternate and opposite pages of 
explanation and phonographic exercises. Every principle is copiously 
illustrated with engraved examples for reading, and exercises in the 
ordinary type for writing and dictation practise. A mastery of this 
book fits the student to act efficiently as a business amanuensis and 
lays the indispensable foundation for reporting skill as develop! in 
the Reporter's Companion. Revised, enlarged and improved. 
Cloth. I 00 

The Phonographic Reader. By Benn Pitman and Jerome B. 
Howard. Designed to accompany the Manual. It affords the 
necessary reading practise in the Corresponding Style. The selections 
are taken (by permission) from “McGuffey’s Revised Fifth Eclectic 
Reader,” which may be used as a key. Paper. 25 

The Second Phonographic Reader. By Benn Pitman and Jerome 
B. Howard. Designed to accompany the A/anual. Contains read¬ 
ing exercises engraved in Amanuensis Style, and is keyed by “Mc¬ 
Guffey’s Revised Sixth Eclectic Reader.” Paper . 25 

The Reporter’s Companion. By Benn Pitman and Jerome B. 
Howard. A Guide to Verbatim Reporting; for professional re¬ 
porters and those who desire to become such. In this work, which 
should be studied only by those who have first mastered the Alanual 
of Phonography, the principles of abbreviation used in the Reporting 
Style of Phonography are clearly explained and amply illustrated. 
Thousands of reporters have acquired their ability to write verbatim 
with no other instruction than that afforded by this and the A/anual 
or Amanuensis. Cloth. i 00 

The Phonographic Dictionary and Phrase Book. By Benn Pit¬ 
man and Jerome B. Howard. Contains a vocabulary of 120,000 
words, including every useful word in the language and a large num¬ 
ber of proper and geographic names, legal, scientific, and technical 
terms, engraved in phonography with a parallel key in ordinary type. 
Concerning each word information is given on the following points ; 








I. Spelling; 2. Accentuation; 3. Pronunciation; 4. Capitalization; 
5. Fully vocalized (Corresponding Style) phonographic form; 6. 
Reporting Style outline; 7. Compounding; 8. Principal phrases 
which it begins. The phonographic outlines are clearly and beauti¬ 
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employed. [Specimen pages will be sent on request.] Cloth, 552 
pp., 8vo.$3 00 

Questions on “ The Phonographic Amanuensis.” By Jerome 
B. I lowARD. A series of questions that may be used by teachers as 
a basis for written examinations or for oral quizzes. Paper. 20 

A List of Logograms, Contractions, Phrases, and Other Special 
Forms, contained in “The Phonographic Amanuensis.” By Je¬ 
rome B. Howard. Paper. 10 

Instructor in Practical Court Reporting. By II. W. Thorne. 
The standard work on this important subject. Exemplifies, explains 
and instructs as to all the details of trials, teaching the shorthand 
writer howto use his skill in making a legal record. Contains valu¬ 
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Has received emphatic testimonials from official court reporters, 
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Cloth. I 00 


Books Printed in Phonography. 

Ill the Amanuensis Style. 

On Self-Culture, Intellectual, Physical, and Moral. A vade mecum 
for young men and students. By John Stuart Blackie, professor 

of Greek in the University of Edinburgh. Paper. 35 

*^The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. By Washington Irving. 

Paper. 25 

•^Rip Van Winkle. By Washington Irving. Paper. 25 

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. By Robert Louis 

Stevenson. Paper. 35 

History of Sinbad the Sailor. Erom the “Arabian Nights’ Ihiter- 

tainments. ’ ’ Paper. 25 

The M an Without a Country. By Edward Everett Hale. 

Paper. 25 

*A Dog of Flanders. By “Ouida.” Paper. 25 

*A Voyage to Lilliput. By Jonathan Swift. Paper. 30 

*A Christmas Carol. By Charles Dickens. Paper. 35 

*The Ugly Duckling, and Other Stories. By Hans Christian 
Andersen. Paper. 25 

*The Little Violinist, and Other Prose Sketches. By Thomas 
Bailey Aldrich. Paper. 25 

’•'Key, in ordinary print, will be sent, postpaid, for fifteen cents. 

4 


















hi the Reporting Style. 

^'Conciliation with the Colonies. A speech by Edmund Burke. 

l’q>er.$o 30 

■^Speech of Robert Y. Hayne on Foote’s Resolution. Paper. 25 

*Key, in ordinary print, will be sent, postpaid, for fifteen cents. 

Typewriter Instruction Books. 

The Touch Writer. A text-book for self- and class-instruction in 
the art of operating the typewriter without looking at the keyboard. 
By J. E. Fuller. Shift-key edition (revised and improved), de¬ 
signed for the Remington, Densmore, h'ay-Sho, Underwood, Fox, 
L. C. Smith, Monarch, and other writing-machines having a shift- 
key and the “Universal” keyboard. Boards, oblong 4to. 50 

The Touch Writer. A text-book for self- and class-instruction in the 
ai t of operating the typewriter without looking at the keyboard. By 
J. E. Fulle:r. Double-keyboard edition, designed for the Smith 
Premier, Jewett, Yost, New Century Caligraph, and other writing- 
machines having a double “Universal” keyboard. Boards, oblong 
4^0 . 50 


Miscellaneous. 

A Manual of Language Lessons. By F. R. Heath. A text-book 
on English, designed more especially for use in commercial colleges 
and schools of shorthand. The following subjects are briefly but 
comprehensively treated, and suitable exercises are furnisht: i. 
Crammar; 2. Practical Analysis—Missing-word exercises; 3. Syno¬ 
nyms; 4. Definition and Use of Words; 5. Capitalization; 6. Punctua¬ 
tion; 7. Composition; 8. Correspondence; 9. Spelling; 10. Etymol¬ 
ogy; II. Homonyms. Cloth. i 00 

The Dictater. A Collection of Graded Dictation Exercises for the use 
of Teachers and Students of Shorthand. By Mina Ward. Consists 
of exercises suitable for class-room dictation, counted and arranged to 
facilitate reading at any desired speed. The exercises are also ar¬ 
ranged in order according to the average number of syllables in the 
words which each contains. Cloth. i 00 

How Long—A Symposium. Consists of contributions on the length 
of time required for obtaining verbatim speed in shorthand wnfiting, 
from the following eminent reporters: Jerome B. Allen, Eliza B. 
Burnz, Chas. E. Weller, Wm. A. Croffut; H. W. Thorne, Henry M. 
Parkhurst, Spencer C. Rogers, Daniel C. McEwan, Thomas Allen 
Reed, Wm. Whitford, Edw. B. Dickinson, Philander Deming, Julius 
Woldemar Zeibig, Benn Pitman, Theo. F. Shuey, Thos. Towndrow, 
Theo. C. Rose, Sherburne Wesley Burnham, Wm. Henry Burr, Elias 
Longley, Dennis F. Murphy, Edw. F. Underhill, Adelbert P. Little, 
Chas. C. Marble, John B. Carey, Frederic Irland, David Wolfe 

5 








Brown. A remarkable assemblage of opinions and experiences. 
Full of hapj)y suggestions to teachers and self-instructed learners of 
shorthand. Illustrated with a finely-engraved portiait of each con¬ 
tributor. 1S9 pp. Paper, 50 cents ; Cloth.$0 75 

The Teaching of Shorthand. By G. A. Clark. Ihis essay was 
awarded a prize of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars offered by the 
editor of the Phonographic Magazine, in which it was originally 
jirinted. It should be read by every progressive teacher of shorthand. 

Paper. 25 

The Mastery of Shorthand. By David Wolfe Brown, Late 
Gfhcial Reporter National House of Representatives. An essay on 
mastery by a master. One of the most important contributions to 
the literature of shorthand pedagogy. It deserves an attentive 
reading by every thoughtful teacher of phonography. Paper.... 35 
Phonography—What it Is and What it Does. By Benn Pitman. 
Gives a concise account of the nature and capabilities of phonography 
(including a compend of the art, with engraved examples accompanied 
by key-words); also a brief historical account of the origin and devel¬ 
opment of Phonography in England and America. Paper. 3 

Special imprint editions for teachers at greatly reduced rates. 

The Phonographic Magazine. 

The Phonographic Magazine. Edited by Jerome B. Howard. 
Publisht once a month. Each number contains many pages of beauti¬ 
fully-engraved phonography, besides original and contributed articles 
of general phonographic interest. The Magazine, now in its twenty- 
second volume, is a periodical complement to the text-books, and the 
authentic organ of the Benn Pitman system of Phonography. Sub¬ 
scriptions may begin with any number. Specimen copy free. 

Price, per annum (invariably in advance) . 50 

Vols. I to XXII (except Vols. VI and XIX, which are out of print), 
bound in cloth, each. i 50 

Phonographic Stationery. 

The Phonographic Copy-Book. Made of double-ruled paper, such 
as is used by most reporters, but with the lines wider apart for the 
learner. This paper is especially useful to the beginner, and assists 
him to acquire a neat and uniform style of writing. 


Paper, 5 cents ; postpaid. 7 

Per dozen, 50 cents ; postpaid. 65 


The Phonographic Institute Loose-leaf Tablet. This tablet pos¬ 
sesses the following advantages, which make it the most convenient 
and most economical shorthand note-book for the use of shorthand 
writers : 

I. It lies open on the table perfectly flat, there being no fold in 
the paper. 2. The paper is held in the cover by metal arches, strong 
and permanent in construction—superior to rubber elastic bands, whicli 

6 









quickly decay, and to tapes, which are inconvenient both in turning the 
page and in removing a portion of the sheets. 3. The sheets can be re¬ 
moved and replaced quickly and easily. Any one or more sheets may 
be removed without disturbing the rest. 4. The page can be turned 
with perfect ease and convenience, as the polisht metal arches create no 
friction. 5. The triple-perforated sheets may be readily bound with 
tapes when removed from the tablet. In this way the notes of any 
single piece of work may be permanently preserved intact. 6. When 
notes are transcribed the tablet may be doubled back on itself and in¬ 
serted in any kind of a copy-holder, just as any other note-book, or it 
may be used itself as a copy-holder by standing it upright. 7. Perfo¬ 
rated paper for refilling may be bought in any quantity, ruled with 
single or double lines, and suitable for use with pen or pencil. 8. The 
tablet is strongly made and will last for years. 

N. B.—This tablet is especially adapted to the use of schools of 
shorthand. For this purpose it is provided with four guide-cards 
that separate the sheets into four divisions —Copying Exercises^ IVrit- 
ing Exercises, Dictation Exercises, and Corrections. By the use of 
the tablet the student has his work in one compact cover and the guide- 
cards enable him to turn instantly to any of its divisions. When the 
student has finisht his school course the guide-cards may be removed 
and the tablet is ready for his regular daily use as a professional short¬ 
hand w'riter. With Filler of 100 sheets (200 pages), 50 cents, post¬ 


paid .$0 62 

Fillers for Tablets— 

For Fen Use. Postpaid. 

Reporting paper (double ruled), 100 sheets. $0 10 $0 17 

Learner’s paper (wide double ruled), 100 sheets. 10 17 

Single-lined pa])er, 100 sheets . 10 17 

Packets of 1,000 sheets of any ruling (f. o. b. 

Cincinnati) .. 90 

For Pencil Use. 


Reporting paper (double ruled), 100 sheets. 07 14 

Single-lined paper, 100 sheets. 07 14 

Packet of 1,000 sheets, either ruling (f. o. b. 

Cincinnati) . 60 


The Phonographic Institute Steel Pen. Expressly manufactured 
for phonographic writing and reporting. These pens have espe¬ 
cially fine, smooth points, and pleasant, uniform action. The 
peculiar shape is such that a great deal of ink is held by the pen 
without danger of dropping, thus reducing to a minimum the fre¬ 
quency of dipping the pen. 

No. I, fine points. 

No. 2, medium points. 

Per dozen, lo cents; per gross .... i 00 

7 















The Phonographic Institute Lead Pencil. Made expressly for 
us (actual diameter shown in cut), with the finest grade of black 


tough lead, and especially recommended for phonographers’ use. 

Per dozen, 50 cents ; per gross.$5 00 


Phonographic Tracts. 

These tracts are suitable for distribution by teachers and others who 
wish to spread information in regard to Phonography. Single copies, 
free; per hundred, 10 cents. 

No. I. What They Say about Phonography—Opinions of Fifty Eminent 

Men and Journals. 

2. Some Reasons Why You should Learn Phonography. 

3. Can Phonography Be Self-Taught ? 

4. The Long Gains of Shorthand. 

5. Phonography in the Public Schools. 

6. Shorthand for Clergymen. 

7. Modifications of Phonography—Wise and Otherwise. 

8. Points of Difference between the Benn Pitman and the Present 

English Style of Phonography. 

9. What Official Reporters Say about the Benn Pitman System. 

10. Shorthand as an Educator. 

11. What Some Leading Schools and Colleges Say about the Benn 

Pitman System. 

12. Shorthand for Lawyers. 

13. The Advancement of the Shorthand Profession. 

14. Shorthand in the Offices of the United States Government. 

Copies of this Catalog, for distribution, free. 

The works herein described are for sale by all booksellers, or will be 
forwarded by us, postpaid (except when postage charges are given 1, 
on receipt of the price specified. Safe delivery by mail is guaran¬ 
teed only when order is accompanied by eight cents additional for 
registration fee. No goods will be sent by express C. O. D. unless 
order is accompanied by at least one-fourth of the price, to insure 
payment of charges. Sample pages of any publication will be sent 
to teachers on request. 

Schools and Teachers of Phonography and Booksellers supplied at a 
liberal discount. 

All orders must be accompanied by a remittance. Send post-office moiiey 
order, express money order, Afw York or Cincinnati draft. 

Exact shipphtg histriictions should accojjipany every order. 

N. B.—Local checks will not be accepted unless ten cents is 

added to cover exchange. 

Address, THE PHONOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE COMPANY, 

Cincinnati, O. 


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 


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